


The Last of Us

by Bookaholix



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:48:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 21,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26729179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bookaholix/pseuds/Bookaholix
Summary: Ruby and Yang are centuries old vampires trying to make it through Beacon
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee
Comments: 19
Kudos: 175





	1. Chapter 1

"Hey Rubes!" Yang called as Ruby walked through the door to their house in Patch.

"Hi Yang," Ruby returned, flopping down on the long couch "I'm tired..." she whined, snatching up the plate of cookies on the table.

"We're vampires Ruby; we can't get tired, it's impossible." Yang stated, rolling her eyes.

"But I'm tired!" she whined dramatically.

Yang heaved a sigh.

"What happened then?" the blonde asked.

Ruby hummed and swallowed the cookie she was eating.

"I went to a dust shop in Vale, and the shop was getting robbed..." Ruby explained, allowing Yang to figure out the rest.

"You played hero?" she guessed.

Ruby nodded.

"You end up killing someone? Or getting caught?" Yang asked.

"I got caught by a huntress, then we had a super long chat, she blamed me for the robbery." Ruby explained.

"And then?" Yang prompted.

"She... offered us a place at Beacon?" Ruby replied hesitantly.

Yang froze.

"Rubes, you didn't..." Yang begged.

"She didn't give me a choice Yang, besides, some old guy came in and took her side." Ruby grumbled.

The red head had always harbored a hatred for humans, when she was a child she was an introvert, then when she became a vampire, humans were just to her, then the vampire hunters came and killed their parents...

"I get it Ruby," Yang said softly, throwing an arm around her "But who knows, maybe we'll find their killers at Beacon."

"But that was a long time ago Yang, they'll be dead by now." Ruby pointed out, leaning into the blonde.

"Mm, doubt it, their kind never dies, and besides, I did some research and apparently there's a whole line of them, some family whose name means snow or something." Yang explained.

" _Schnee_..." Ruby breathed.

Yang nodded.

"Yeah that was it, there's only like, five left." Yang said.

"What are their names?" Ruby asked curiously.

"Jacques, Willow, Whitley, Winter, and Weiss." Yang answered, only to pause "Wait... not Weiss, apparently she's against her family 'traditions'."

Ruby shrugged.

"They're Schnees Yang, they killed our parents, and didn't even care about us..." Ruby gaze darkened, her eyes turning red.

Yang nodded.

"Mom always said no mercy." Yang agreed.

"Raven always said a lot of stuff," Ruby pointed out "She had something to say for everything."

Yang smiled at the memory.

"Yep, she always wondered how Summer made such good cookies when we don't need to eat, and why Qrow like alcohol so much when it was bad for him, and dad... dad always planted flowers named after the sun." Yang chuckled despite her sadness expression.

"We'll get them Yang, all of them, and they'll pay." Ruby said, rubbing Yang's arm comfortingly.

"What I never got!" Yang announced "Is why you and Summer liked going for walks at _sunrise_?" Yang asked incredulously.

Ruby shrugged.

"Why did you and Raven always go all the way to Vale, just to study humans? It reminds me of those school trips from when we were little." Ruby explained.

"You remember being human?" Yang asked, surprised.

"Not much, boring classes, boring people, _ugh, humans_." Ruby grumbled.

Yang raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"You only remember the bad things?" Yang shook her head confusion "I remember the people weren't so bad, and the food was good." Yang grinned.

Ruby rolled her eyes.

"You mean those large slices of strawberry cake you brought home and ate with Raven?" Ruby asked.

Yang grinned mischievously.

"Of course." she answered innocently.

Ruby rolled her eyes.

"So, when do we start school?" Yang asked, changing the subject while going to get herself more coffee.

"Next week," Ruby answered as she finished the cookies and stood up to get some more "We just pack up four years' worth of stuff and go to Beacon."

"Four years? Not very long." Yang said, grabbing a plate of cookies from the fridge and setting them on the table.

"It's a long time for a human," Ruby said, shoving a cookie in her mouth and giving Yang the empty plate from earlier.

"Maybe we should blend in, pretend to be humans ourselves." Yang suggested as she rinsed the plate and returned to her seat.

Ruby grimaced at the thought.

"Either that or tell them what we really are." Yang offered a little too casually, taking a cookie and dipping it in her drink.

Ruby heaved a sigh.

"I don't wanna go..." she whined, sounding the age she appeared to be.

Yang chuckled and took a bite out of the cookie.

"You sound like a child Rubes." Yang joked.

Ruby scowled at her.

"Why can't we just live here forever?" Ruby asked.

"Because people will get suspicious." the blonde answered.

Ruby turned back to her food, having nothing to say to that.

* * *

"I'm so glad you changed your mind!" Yang exclaimed, throwing her arms around Ruby in a bone crushing hug.

"Y-Yang...! Can't... breathe...!" Ruby choked.

Yang just laughed, but let go anyway.

"No need to lie sis," Yang said, throwing an arm around Ruby instead.

"Why did you agree though Yang?" Ruby asked.

"Did you want to go on your own?" Yang retorted cheerfully, pointedly avoiding the real reason.

" _Yang_..." Ruby hissed, annoyed at her sister's attempt at dodging the question.

"Fine, just don't let me do anything I'll regret." Yang ordered with a sigh.

Ruby shot Yang a worried look before glancing around, most people were chatting, looking out the large windows, or watching the news, there was one girl who caught Ruby's interest, she had dark hair and was sitting on the floor reading.

"You know her?" Yang asked, having spotted the girl as well.

"No, but I want to go talk to her." Ruby admitted.

"Well, now's your chance!" Yang said and began dragging her over.

"Wait! What are you doing?!" Ruby cried, drawing the girl's attention.

" _Hello~_!" Yang crowed cheerfully, waving to her.

The girl stared at Yang in surprise, annoyance, and something else neither vampire could recognize.

"My sister here just wanted to talk to you." Yang said, pushing Ruby forward then stepping back to watch.

"Can I help you?" the girl asked.

"Uh... No, sorry to bother you." Ruby said, shrinking away.

The girl smiled at her.

"Trying to make some friends?" she asked.

Ruby nodded and stuck a hand out.

"My name's Ruby!" she said with more confidence than before.

The girl stared at her hand, then glanced over at Yang.

"Oh! And this is my sister Yang." Ruby continued.

"I'm Blake." the girl replied.

"So... what are you reading?" Ruby asked.

"It's about a group of vampires, all looking for home." Blake explained with a smile.

"Do they find it?" Yang asked, wrapping an arm around the suddenly tense red head.

"Find what?" Blake asked in confusion.

"Their home, do the vampires ever find home?" Yang elaborated.

"I'm not that far yet, I'll let you know though." Blake responded, smile turning sheepish.

"I-It's fine, come on Yang." Ruby said before dragging the blonde away.

Blake raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything as they walked away.

"What was that for?" Yang whined.

"She's a Faunus." Ruby said.

"I could tell, I hope she didn't." Yang said, she glanced at over Blake, who just gave them a curious look "I kinda like her."

"You what?!" Ruby cried.

Yang glanced down, her cheeks turning pink.

"But...! You haven't even known her five minutes!" Ruby cried.

"Stop shouting!" Yang hissed, eyeing the dark haired girl.

Ruby heaved a sigh and turned back to the window.

"This'll be a _long_ four years." she muttered.

Yang couldn't agree more.

* * *

"The view from Vale's got nothing on this." Yang boasted, folding her arms and smiling up at the school.

"How are we going to do this, sis?" Ruby asked nervously.

Yang blinked in surprise and confusion.

"You came up with the plan Rubes." Yang reminded her.

"I know, but we'll be living with humans for the next four years, and what if we aren't on the same team, or get paired with someone horrible, or--" Ruby got cut off by Yang slapping a hand on her shoulder.

"Calm down, we'll be fine." she reassured.

Ruby scowled.

"You say that about everything." she muttered.

"Alrighty then, starting today, I won't say it." Yang announced.

Ruby shot her an unimpressed look.

"Let me correct that, when at Beacon I promise not to say it." Yang corrected with an innocent smile.

Ruby heaved a sigh, knowing it was the best she'd get.

"Then we're staying at Beacon, like, _all the time_." Ruby stated firmly.

Someone suddenly bumped into Ruby hard enough to send her stumbling, and almost fall into a pile of luggage.

"What are you doing?!" someone cried as Yang pulled Ruby up, only inches away from colliding with the large pile of white suitcases.

"Sorry," Ruby said, regaining her balance and giving Yang a grateful look.

" _Sorry_? Do you have idea of the damage you could've caused!" the white clad girl demanded.

Ruby looked at the girl, expression darkening at the long white hair, expensive clothing and icy blue eyes.

"You!" she cried.

The girl blinked, anger replaced with confusion.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

Ruby opened her mouth to start shouting something that would've blown their cover, only to get Yang's gloved hand clamped over her mouth.

"Uh... Sorry about that, Ruby here doesn't like rich people much." Yang explained.

Yang flinched when Ruby's fangs dug into her hand.

" _Don't_ ," she hissed "You can later."

Ruby still looked angry, but removed her fangs from her sister's hand.

"She can do what later?" Weiss asked.

Yang just shot Weiss a blank look.

"You don't need to get so angry, it's not like she touched your luggage." Blake pointed out, walking over to stand next to Yang and Ruby.

Weiss huffed and muttered something before marching off.

"Hey Blake, again." Yang greeted brightly.

"Hello." the faunus returned.

Ruby made a unintelligible noise, reminding Yang she was there and instantly being let go.

"Sorry sis, but you were kinda close there." Yang said.

"Can we just go?" Ruby demanded, obviously annoyed at what just happened.

Yang nodded and turned toward the school.

"See you around Blakey." Yang said with a wave before chasing after her sister.

Blake watched them go with a surprised look " _Blakey?_ "

* * *

"That, was a _long_ day." Yang announced as she dropped down onto her sleeping bag.

Ruby hummed in agreement.

"I nearly blew it to that... that _Schnee_!" Ruby spat "And you were flirting with your new girlfriend, then we had to eat human food." Ruby stuck her tongue out.

Yang nodded in agreement.

"Think the teachers would notice if we went out for some proper food?" Yang asked.

"Maybe, but I'm starving!" Ruby whined.

"Yeah, I noticed when you tried to bite my hand off." Yang deadpanned.

"I wish we could heal the same way faunus and humans do." Ruby said, folding her arms behind her head.

"Yeah... then we could live off each others' blood." Yang agreed, only to grimace at the thought.

Ruby grimace too, vampire blood tasted horrible!

"What would Raven do now?" Ruby asked.

Yang tapped her chin in thought.

"Mom would pretend to go to the bathroom, fly out the window, and be back as fast as she could." Yang answered honestly.

Ruby hummed.

"Let's go then." she said, moving to stand up when she was stopped by a familiar girl.

" _Where_ do you think _you're_ going?" Weiss demanded.

"To the bathroom princess." Yang answered, jumping up and pulling her sister along.

They both knew that if they were forced to listen to Weiss complain over literally nothing, she would end up dinner instead.

"Where are you two going at such a late hour?" a new voice asked.

The two stopped in the doorway.

"For a walk sir." Ruby answered.

"Might I remind you that Beacon has a curfew for first years?" he asked.

"We're hungry," Yang muttered.

Ozpin hummed and turned around.

"Come with me girls, this won't take long, and I can assure you it will be in your best interest." he said, walking off.

The curious sisters followed as Ozpin led them to his office.

"I can assure you that this will remain within this room unless you decide otherwise." Ozpin began, sitting down and motioning to two chairs in front of him.

"Now," he said once they were sat down "You two know of team STRQ, correct?" he asked.

"You know our parents?" Yang asked.

Ozpin nodded.

"I happen to be part vampire, and I'm aware that you both are as well?" he asked.

"Full, we were turned when we were kids." Yang corrected.

"How old exactly?" he questioned.

"I was five, Yang just turned eight." Ruby answered.

"Ah, a while ago then, if I may, was that when STRQ died?"

The sisters tensed.

"You were alive then?" Yang asked, eyes turning red at the thought of someone having been able to save their parents but refusing to.

"I'm afraid I was out of town at the time, or I would've helped." Ozpin promised.

"When were you turned?" Ruby asked.

"Not long after you two, also, I believe I you both an apology, I'm aware neither of you want to be here, but I was asked to have you attend at some point in your..." Ozpin paused to glance at them both " _long_ lives, you two are the last vampires to exist after all, and there's a lot of people here who would make useful allies."

"You mean like our partners?" Ruby asked.

"Perhaps, it's up to you who you turn, I'm only part vampire so I cannot turn others." Ozpin explained.

"We can turn you if you want." Ruby offered.

Ozpin shook his head.

"My kind, which is rare enough as it is, cannot be turned due to the vampire within us." he explained.

"So, what's in this for us?" Yang asked, changing the subject to something a little more cheery.

Ozpin chuckled.

"Just like your mother," he muttered "Starting from when you get your dorms, I will have food sent to your room, it should be enough to last." Ozpin said with a smile.

The two glanced at each other and nodded.

"Fair enough." Yang said.

"What about tonight? We're _hungry_!" Ruby whined.

Ozpin's eyes narrowed.

"When did you last eat?" he asked.

"When you had to join." Yang answered.

"Hm... Very well, but you have an hour to be back, you may not require sleep but that's no excuse to make other students suspicious." Ozpin ordered.

"Guess we'll be off then." Yang announced, grabbing Ruby's hand and standing up.

"One more thing," Ozpin added "Try to stay low profile, or to the best of your ability."

"How do we do that when there's humans and faunus everywhere we look?" Yang asked.

"Keep to yourselves, don't let others in except your respective partners, and when you're eating, don't let others see you." Ozpin explained.

"We don't let people see us eat anyway." Ruby stated.

Yang nodded in agreement.

"That's like being watched while going to the bathroom, just... creepy." the blonde shuddered.

Ozpin hummed thoughtfully.

"Yes, well, as I'm only part vampire I do possess a Semblance which I will allow you to use if needed," Ozpin offered, at the sisters' curious looks, he elaborated "I can alter memories."

"Guess it'll come in handy if we ever get caught, well, good night sir." Yang said with a wave.

Ruby smiled at him and waved too.

Ozpin just silently watched them go and smiled.

"I'll see that your wish is granted, Summer..." he breathed, turning to gaze out at the starry night.


	2. Chapter 2

_A blonde man ran through the trees with a wide grin, a child with long golden hair and purple eyes watching in awe as he leapt into the air, and the second he left the snow covered ground, his body shifted into that of an eagle._

_The girl giggled with excitement and joy, then went about trying to copy her father, running and jumping, all the while flapping her arms._

_The eagle's blue eyes softened as though he were smiling, then he turned back in mid-air._

_"Yang, imagine it, running and jumping is just how I take off." he explained, hitting the ground and sending cold, white powder everywhere._

_"What do I imagine?" she asked excitedly, eyes glittering with joy._

_"Whatever you want, preferably some kind of animal, something you can clearly picture yourself as." Tai explained._

_Yang tapped her chin thoughtfully, looking sideways like her mother does._

_"Hm... a dragon!" she exclaimed._

_"I wouldn't... call that an animal..." Tai admitted hesitantly._

_"Why not!? Vampires exist! Why can't dragons?!" Yang whined._

_"Because... well, just imagine something smaller." Tai offered, wishing Raven was here to help._

_"Okay!"_

_She squeezed her eyes shut and hummed in thought, then her eyes popped open and she bounced up and down in excitement._

_"Got one?" Tai asked._

_"Yep!"_

_Tai pointed in a random direction and the blonde child took off with impressive speed, then she leapt in the air and her entire body was engulfed in flames._

"Yang!" Ruby called to her daydreaming sister.

"Hm?" the blonde responded, still lost in thought.

"Everyone's starting to wake up!" Ruby explained.

She motioned around them at the other students who were waking up.

"So? Humans take hours to wake up." Yang dismissed.

Ruby pouted but couldn't help agreeing.

"What were you thinking about?" she asked curiously.

"The time I first turned with dad." Yang answered.

She had never been fond of admitting aloud what she could turn into, she'd been so excited she picked the first thing that came to mind, something that was... that embarrassing now...

"I don't get why you're embarrassed, I like my spirit animal." Ruby admitted.

"But yours in a wolf!" Yang whined.

"And yours is--" the red head got cut off by Yang clapping a hand over her mouth.

" _Don't_." she hissed, pointing to the girls on either side of them, Blake being on Yang's side, and Weiss on Ruby's, both of which were waking up.

"Stop shouting..." Weiss moaned sleepily "Too early..."

The sisters looked at the clock on the wall.

"It's seven am." Yang stated.

Blake rolled over and looked up at Yang.

"Really...?"

Yang hummed and started fiddling with Blake's bow, adjusting it so it covered her ears which were starting to show, an action that woke Blake right up.

The faunus shot up and checked to make sure her ears were properly covered up, her cheeks darkening as she did.

"T-Thank you." she said before grabbing her clothes and running off to get dressed.

"What's with her?" Weiss asked, sitting up and slumping with a yawn.

"Must not like bed head." Yang shrugged, despite Blake not having a hair out of place.

"Mm..." Weiss stared after Blake suspiciously before shrugging "I'm going to get dressed."

"Yang, do you think we'll be paired with Weiss and Blake?" Ruby asked.

"Maybe, Blake's really nice." Yang admitted.

"What about Weiss?" Ruby asked, getting up and starting to change.

"What do you think?" Yang deflected.

"She's... a Schnee." was all Ruby said.

Yang nodded and grabbed her clothes, before getting changed she reached into her jacket pocket and pulled a very old photo out.

"Do you think we can recreate team STRQ?" Yang asked softly.

Ruby looked up from pulling her boots on, then down at the photo of their parents.

Ruby didn't say anything, instead wrapping an arm around Yang.

"Are you alright?" Blake asked after a moment, having returned from getting dressed.

"We're fine." Ruby answered quickly, clipping on her cape and running off.

"Yang...?" Blake breathed.

Yang blinked and got changed, not saying anything to the worried faunus.

"I'm good Blake, just... nervous I guess." Yang lied.

Blake bit her lip.

"You don't have to tell me Yang, but don't lie to me either." Blake ordered.

Yang shrugged.

"You're a okay girl Blake, I'm just hoping we get paired up together." she admitted, ruffling Blake's dark hair.

Blake blushed and started fixing her hair.

"I-- Thanks Yang, I hope so too." Blake said.

Yang grinned at her despite the sadness still evident in her eyes.

* * *

"Hey Yang?" Blake asked as they made their way to the cliff.

"Hm?"

"Is that a wolf?" the faunus asked, pointing to a silver wolf with red eyes that was running in the same direction as them.

"Looks like." Yang answered too casually for Blake's liking.

"Shouldn't we tell a teacher?" Blake asked nervously.

"Nah, it's not like it's hurting anyone." Yang pointed out.

Blake blinked in confusion before shrugging.

"Besides, it could just be someone's Semblance." Yang added.

"Turning into... a wolf?" Blake asked doubtfully.

Yang nodded.

"Mine and Ruby's parents could all turn into birds." Yang stated.

Blake relaxed slightly.

"What do they turn into?" she asked.

"Well, mom could turn into a raven, dad turned into an eagle, uncle Qrow turned into a, well, crow, and aunt Summer could turn into a swan." Yang listed off.

Blake's eyes widened, impressed.

"Can you turn into anything?" Blake asked.

Yang shrugged.

"Something like that." she muttered.

Blake looked away from the blonde and realised they were at the cliff, Ozpin and Goodwitch were standing in front of a long line of spring boards that students were standing on.

Yang stepped on one, while Blake stood next to her, eyeing the suspiciously quiet blonde.

"I wonder what happened to the wolf." Blake muttered.

Yang glanced over her shoulder right as Ruby ran up, followed by a scraggly boy.

"Hey Yang, sorry I'm late." she said.

Yang smiled at her sister.

"You didn't miss anything." Yang reassured, receiving a sigh of relief from Ruby, and a confused look from Blake.

"But, what about--"

Blake was about to mention the wolf when she was cut off by Ozpin explaining what they had to do.

* * *

As Ruby flew through the air moments later, she was relieved that Blake hadn't asked about the wolf, despite knowing she was suspicious she had no idea how to explain that she could turn into a wolf unless she said it was her Semblance, but she knew that wouldn't solve anything, especially if she got turned into a vampire, then Blake would know she'd been lied to.

 _Humans are so annoying, they've got their stupid_ 'Semblances' _that everyone is supposed to have and they expect vampires to have them too!_

Ruby felt like screaming in anger, but decided it best not to.

_Don't need to make people suspicious._

She hit the ground and took off running, flying through the trees until she became a red blur, her vampiric speed causing her to move much faster than the average person.

_I want to pair with Yang, but I know she'll pair up with Blake, so who else is there..._

Ruby skidded to a stop and winced as her eyes met Weiss'.

Weiss blinked and a small smile flickered on her face for a second.

"Ruby." she greeted.

"Hi Weiss..." Ruby greeted as she tried not to scowl.

 _It's_ Weiss! _A Schnee! Why did I get a Schnee?!_ Ruby mentally cursed.

"Are you alright Ruby?" Weiss asked.

"You're Weiss Schnee." Ruby stated, deciding to be honest.

"Yes...?"

"A... Schnee."

"Is that a problem?" Weiss asked.

Ruby bit her lip shook her head.

"No," Ruby answered.

Weiss narrowed her eyes, knowing a lie when she saw one.

"Do you have a... _history_ with my father?" Weiss asked.

Ruby nodded.

"Yeah, Jacques... no, Vincent..." Ruby muttered.

Weiss' eyed widened.

" _Vincent?!_ He was my...!" Weiss gaped at her, causing her to giggle.

"I've only heard of him Weiss, he..." Ruby bit her lip "He's why Jacques' like that?"

Weiss nodded.

"According to our family records he was responsible for the extinction of vampires during the war." Weiss explained.

"There are survivors you know." Ruby murmured.

Weiss eyed her curiously and smiled softly.

"I love vampires," she confessed, her voice just as warm as her expression "I've always wanted to meet one."

"Why?" Ruby asked "You wouldn't survive."

Weiss shrugged.

"I'm sure they're hiding somewhere, there's nothing nice about hiding, but it also means freedom, and I'd do anything to be free from my father." Weiss confessed.

Ruby glanced down, her eyes turning red for a moment.

"I loved my dad, he was grumpy, protective, and liked drinking a lot, but he was the best dad ever." Ruby admitted, unshed tears making her eyes sting.

"'Was'?" Weiss asked in confusion.

Ruby blinked the tears away and nodded.

"My parents were murdered." Ruby said stoically.

Weiss gasped in horror, a pained look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, maybe I take my father for granted, but he really is a horrible man." Weiss stated.

Ruby smiled sadly.

"I'm... um, Yang and I aren't sisters." Ruby said suddenly.

Weiss blinked, then nodded in understanding.

"You look nothing alike." she pointed out.

"We're cousins, both our parents were killed by the same person." Ruby explained.

"Do you know who it was?" Weiss asked.

Ruby nodded.

"May I ask who?" Weiss asked after a moment of silence.

"Another time Weiss." Ruby answered

The two walked in silence until they saw the stone temple, Blake and Yang were already there, Yang holding a giant white knight chess piece.

"Yang!" Ruby cheered happily.

"Ruby?" Yang said in surprise right as Ruby threw her arms around her in a hug.

"What took so long?" Yang asked.

"Talking I'm guessing?" Blake said "Or you got lost."

Ruby nodded.

"Ruby, if I may--" Weiss began, hoping to continue their conversation from earlier.

"Is that a Nevermore?" Ruby interrupted, looking up at the giant bird circling above.

"We should get back, it's not like we have to fight." Yang pointed out.

"It spotted us." Blake said before any of them had taken a single step.

Ruby and Yang glanced at each other.

"Does anyone have a plan?" Weiss asked.

"Fight it." Yang suggested.

Ruby looked up at the Grimm, then over at the three girls.

"Blake, you distract it, then Weiss, could you freeze it?" Ruby asked.

"What about me?" Yang asked, interrupting the other two who were obviously about to ask how Ruby knew their respective abilities.

"Once Weiss has the Nevermore frozen, we'll attack it." Ruby explained, pulling Crescent Rose out.

Blake pointed to a platform on another, much larger temple that she and Weiss then jumped onto.

Weiss spun her sword and a row of large glyphs appeared leading up to the Nevermore, Blake moved along them and began attacking the giant Grimm.

Weiss flicked her wrist and the Grimm began to freeze, allowing Blake to attack places before they froze over.

As soon as the Grimm was completely frozen, Ruby threw herself at it, catching it's head on her scythe and running up the cliff, the curved metal cutting through ice and feathers until it's head was ripped off.

"Well, that was a thing." Yang said.

"Yeah, it was." Blake agreed.


	3. Chapter 3

After getting back to Beacon, the girls had their ceremony making them a team and were taken to their new dorm.

"Well!" Yang began as they walked in "Sure is snug!"

"Snug?" Blake asked, unimpressed with the subtle insult.

"Where did you two live before?" Weiss asked.

"Patch, in our family home." Yang answered.

"You live with your family?" Blake asked.

Yang shook her head.

"No, our parents... left" Yang answered hesitantly.

"I still live with my family." Weiss stated, staring at Blake.

"Yeah, but you're not allowed to move out, right?" Yang asked, having heard a lot about the Schnee family.

"We are, we just prefer to stay at the manor." Weiss said.

"Manor? It's more of a mansion than a manor." Yang pointed out.

Weiss nodded thoughtfully.

"I suppose it is." Weiss agreed.

"So... what do we do now?" Ruby asked.

"Unpack?" Blake suggested.

Everyone agreed to that and gathered their luggage from the doorway where it'd been left.

Weiss hung her expensive looking pictures around the room while Blake stacked her books everywhere.

"What on Remnant are you doing Ruby?" Weiss asked when she saw what the red head was doing.

"Um... Sewing the curtains." Ruby answered hesitantly.

Sure enough she had the two red curtains sitting in her lap with a needle and thread and was sewing them together.

"Why?" Weiss couldn't help asking, looking beyond confused.

"Ruby has phengophobia." Yang answered for her.

"Phengophobia?" Weiss asked, looking even more confused.

"Fear of sunlight." Blake elaborated, finally done with putting away her library's worth of books.

"I know what it is, but...?" Weiss turned to Ruby, hoping for an explanation.

Ruby didn't say anything, instead pulling her hood up and continuing her sewing.

"You guys don't mind do you?" Yang asked.

"Not really." Blake answered, picking a book and sitting down to read.

"I suppose not, as long as it doesn't affect our school work." Weiss said, turning back to Ruby.

"It won't." Ruby answered, hanging the curtains back up and plunging the room into darkness.

"Could someone get the lights?" Blake asked.

Weiss walked to the door and flicked the switch, returning light to the room.

"Do you have any fears we should know about?" Weiss asked Yang, who shook her head.

"Nope,"

" _Yang_." Ruby said in a flat tone.

Yang shot her a look and shook her head when she saw the look on Ruby's face.

"I'm _not_ telling them _that_." she said.

"Tell us what?" Blake asked.

"We have... an ability passed down in our family," Ruby began hesitantly.

"And what is it?" Weiss asked.

"We can turn into animals." Yang answered.

"A-Animals?!" Weiss cried in shock.

Blake just stared at them as awe, already knowing due to what Yang told her earlier.

"I can turn into a wolf." Ruby said.

Blake blinked.

"So that wolf from this morning... that was you?" she asked.

Ruby nodded.

"What about you?" Weiss asked, turning to Yang.

Yang just glanced down, rubbing her arm nervously.

"Yang, show them." Ruby ordered.

The monochrome pair glanced at each other before turning back to Yang, now even more curious.

"Maybe later." Yang answered, grabbing her pajamas and going to the bathroom.

The two turned to Ruby expectantly as soon as the door shut.

"She, um..." Ruby trailed off nervously.

"She what?" Blake asked curiously.

Ruby bit her lip and glanced at the door.

"She's a bird," Ruby mumbled.

Both girls stared at her in confusion.

"... And?" Weiss asked.

"A... _mythical_ bird." Ruby added.

Blake blinked.

"A phoenix?" she asked.

Ruby nodded.

"What's so embarrassing about that?" Weiss asked.

"When Yang was little she always wanted to be a dragon, she sees it as childish." Ruby explained.

Weiss' lips twitched, remembering all the times she wanted to become an animal and run away.

"Makes sense." Blake said, curling up on her bed with a book in her lap.

Weiss nodded in agreement.

"What does? Did you tell them sis?" Yang asked as she stepped out of the bathroom.

"Sorry..." Ruby mumbled.

Yang heaved a sigh and sat down on the bed next to Blake's, tucked in the corner.

"Anything else?" Yang asked, pulling up the covers.

"Nope." Ruby answered brightly.

Weiss and Blake both shook their heads.

" _Is_ there anything else?" Blake asked.

"Tale for another day." Yang said.

"Yeah, right now its bedtime." Ruby agreed, much to the other two's disappointment.

Blake slid under the covers and read her book while Weiss complained about wanting to know what the other thing was.

"Hey Blake?" Yang whispered once the other two were asleep.

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you curious?" Yang asked.

"About what?" Blake asked, rolling over.

"What I was hiding." Yang answered, rolling over so she could see Blake.

"I won't ask unless you're willing to tell me." Blake admitted.

Yang didn't say anything to that, instead holding her arm out, she held a leather bound book that looked like old enough to belong in a museum.

Blake stared at Yang in confusion.

"Take it, I'll explain tomorrow." Yang ordered.

Blake obeyed, taking the book and instantly shooting her other arm out when she felt how heavy it was.

"How old is this?" Blake couldn't help asking.

Yang stared at her for a moment before rolling onto her back.

"Dunno, it was a birthday present." Yang answered.

Blake sat up and looked at the book, it had writing on the cover that Blake couldn't read despite being able to read lots of languages.

Blake stared at Yang in shock.

"Is this...?"

"Look, I'm into the vampire language alright? It only says 'Notebook'." Yang explained.

Blake stared at the strange shapes and vowed that she would go to the library and learn everything she could on vampires after class tomorrow.

"You can look inside, just don't damage it." Yang ordered, then rolled over and went to sleep.

Blake stared at the blonde until she was positive she was asleep, then very carefully turned to the first page.


	4. Chapter 4

The following morning classes started, Weiss had almost slept in, only to be rudely awoken by Ruby blowing a whistle next to her ear and resulting in her running to class with ringing in her ears.

While Weiss had been rushing to get ready in time, she'd noticed Blake sitting on Yang's bed flicking through an old book, she would occasionally ask Yang about something while pointing it out on the page, and Yang would explain.

It had confused the heiress, but she'd been too busy to ask.

When class started, Blake got the book out and passed notes with the blonde, Weiss just ignored them, instead focusing of the class.

"... Now, can someone tell me what the three common races were before the Great War?" Oobleck asked.

A few people put their hand up, Weiss included.

"Yes Miss Rose." Oobleck said.

Weiss couldn't help but be surprised when she saw her partner with her hand up.

"Humans, Faunus, and Vampires." Ruby answered stoically.

"Correct, and can anyone tell me why vampires no longer exist?" Oobleck asked as a follow up question.

Weiss saw Ruby's gaze darken at the teacher's wording.

A boy a few rows back stuck raised his arm lazily.

"'Cause they're animals not worthy of existing." he answered rather harshly.

"Wrong, and try to put it more kindly Mr Winchester." Oobleck ordered, frowning at the arrogant student "Can anyone else tell me?"

Weiss raised her hand again.

"Vampires were seen as a problem due to their life style." Weiss answered despite whole heartedly disagreeing.

"Correct Miss Schnee," Oobleck nodded in approval "Now, how about some facts on vampires."

At least half the class raised their hands, Blake and Yang included.

Oobleck chuckled and started shouting names, students obediently answering with random facts until one caught Weiss' attention.

"Miss Nikos."

"Vampires were seen as the lesser species, leading up to the Great War where they were killed because people saw them as no better than the Grimm." Pyrrha explained.

Everyone stared at the red head in shock.

"Where exactly did you learn that Miss Nikos?" Oobleck asked suspiciously.

"My ancestors were vampire hunters." Pyrrha answered.

"I... see..." Oobleck shot the red head a disapproving look, then spared the sisters a glance.

Weiss stared in confusion before shooting a hand up.

"Professor Oobleck, may I ask a question?" the heiress said.

"Yes?"

"Why exactly were vampires treated horribly when they were doing nothing wrong?" Weiss asked.

Oobleck blinked.

"Doctor," he corrected "And I'm not quite sure Miss Schnee, maybe you should ask Miss Nikos and Mr Winchester." Oobleck suggested.

Weiss turned to the two expectantly.

"They were murderers." Cardin said casually.

Weiss shook her head, not approving the answer.

"Miss Nikos?" Oobleck asked, the entire class turning to the red head curiously.

"They were superior beings, able to wield more power than humans or faunus." Pyrrha said.

Oobleck smiled.

"And can anyone tell me what those powers include?" he paused "You can include powers they shared with humans and faunus as well."

Hands shot up and people started listing off random facts.

Weiss glanced at Ruby and found her smiling strangely; it reminded her of how she felt when Winter saved her from their father countless times.

"Ruby?" Weiss whispered.

"Thanks Weiss." Ruby said, glancing at her without turning her head.

"Miss Rose, do you have anything to add?" Oobleck asked.

Ruby turned back to the teacher and nodded.

"Vampires can go out in sunlight, but prefer not to." Ruby said.

"We've had that." Oobleck deadpanned.

Ruby bobbed her head with a hum.

"How about..." Ruby glanced over at the rest of her team "Vampires can give birth to human children."

That got a reaction out of the class, the teacher included.

"How do you know that?" one boy asked.

"Well, that-" Oobleck began only to get cut off by the bell.

"How did you know that Ruby?" Weiss asked as they walked to their next class.

Ruby smiled sheepishly.

"I read a lot about vampires growing up." Ruby answered.

"But there's no information on that subject." Blake said.

"Or maybe there is and you just haven't found it yet." Yang said.

Blake shot her partner a suspicious glance.

"Well, it's certainly an interesting fact." Weiss admitted, folding her arms behind her back.

Ruby smiled at her.

"Will you at least let me read the book?" Blake asked, still suspicious of the sisters.

"Sure, but we didn't bring it to Beacon with us." Ruby said.

Blake face fell.

"I'm sure we can find a copy in the library, or that Tukson guy in Vale." Yang suggested.

"I'd like to read it as well." Weiss requested.

Before the sisters could say anything, they were approached by another team.

"Hello!" the familiar red head crowed cheerfully.

"Can we help you?" Yang asked.

"We've been trying to find you, to talk to you!" the blonde boy explained.

"Aren't you... that boy who kept following me on the first day?" Ruby asked suspiciously.

The boy paled before waving her off.

"No, that must've been someone else." he laughed.

Ruby stared at him.

"No, I'm sure that was you." she muttered.

"So what did you want? Aside from a reunion with our leader?" Blake asked coldly.

"Your leader?" Pyrrha asked in surprise.

"We just wanted you to know that we're your neighbours!" a shorter red head said, clinging onto a boy with long dark hair.

"Neighbours?" Blake repeated.

"Yep! Our dorm in right in front of yours." the blonde boy stated.

"So you're the ones making all the noise at night." Yang said.

"You're noisy too!" the boy snapped.

"Uh... when?" Ruby asked.

"Jaune was listening in on you last night," the dark haired boy stated.

The four girls glared at the blonde boy.

"Ruby, maybe we should keep an eye on the door." Yang suggested, eyes turning red in annoyance.

Jaune just laughed nervously.

"Uh... sorry?"

"Agreed Yang." Weiss said, walking past team JNPR with everyone else close behind.

"I can't believe we're stuck with them for four years." Yang complained once they were out of earshot.

Blake hummed in agreement.

"Didn't Pyrrha seem familiar though?" Ruby asked.

"Pyrrha Nikos is the strongest fighter in Mistral." Yang explained.

"You don't know who Pyrrha Nikos is?" Weiss asked in shock.

"She's the girl we just talked to." Ruby answered sarcastically.

Weiss just slapped her forehead.

"I'm going to the library." Blake announced.

"I'll come too!" Yang said, throwing an arm around Blake "I'll help find you that book."

Blake smiled.

"Alright." she said softly.

"We'll see you two at the dorm later." Yang said with a wave.

"Have fun!" Ruby called after them.

Weiss shot Ruby a look.

"What?" she asked.

"They're just looking for a book." Weiss pointed out.

Ruby just shrugged and hummed a tune Weiss had never heard before.

"Do you want to go get coffee?" Ruby asked.

Weiss lit up at that, like a child being offered ice cream.

Ruby chuckled and headed to the docks, Weiss running to catch up.

* * *

"Did you find it yet?" Yang asked Blake, who was in the next aisle.

"Yang, it's only been one minute since you last asked." Blake deadpanned, golden eyes scanning the shelves with impressive speed and years of practice.

"Well, I've found something in the last 'one minute'." Yang said, almost mockingly.

"And what might that be?" Blake asked, reaching for a book on the top shelf.

"Dracula."

Blake snorted in amusement.

"Yang, we're looking for the history of vampires, not horror stories." Blake reminded her.

"I know, but he is a vampire." Yang pointed out.

"Well, I'd like to be able to sleep after our research tonight." Blake said jokingly.

"Blake Belladonna, am I supposed to believe that you're scared of vampires?" Yang asked, stepping around the aisle.

"I'm not."

Yang raised an eyebrow.

"Our dorm's like a cave and you're scared of Dracula?" Yang asked, surprised.

"... I guess." she mumbled.

Yang just smiled and went back to scanning shelves.

"You're not surprised?" Blake asked.

"A little, but we've all got things we don't like, guess yours in horror stories." Yang said with a shrug.

Blake felt her cheeks warm.

"Thanks..." Blake said softly, looking back at the shelves, her eyes landing on the book they'd been looking for.

"Found it." she said, reaching for the book, but was unable to pull it out from how heavy it was "A little help?"

Yang smiled and grabbed it off the shelf with ease.

"You need to work out more Blakey." Yang teased, flipping it open.

Blake scowled at the insult but didn't say anything, instead looking at the book as well.


	5. Chapter 5

The latter members of team RWBY sat in the cafeteria, Blake eating a tuna sandwich for dinner, while Yang just had a cup of coffee.

The two girls were looking through the book they'd found in the library, occasionally reading parts out to each other.

"Vampires were all wiped out during the war, which had started when a woman's family was murdered in their home in the Mistralian countryside, so she proclaimed war on their entire race." Blake read.

Yang flinched.

"Her name was Salem, her family were rumored to be able to see the brother gods." Yang explained.

"What was she like?" Blake asked.

"Hm... She was known for being really beautiful, and kind, and in a previous war she led an army and won." Yang said.

Blake stared at her suspiciously and Yang pointed to the next page, which had everything the blonde had just said.

"Oh."

Yang chuckled and turned the page.

"Salem liked to dabble with vampirism, she wanted to gain immortality, and the night she found it was also when her family was murdered." Yang read.

"So, someone didn't like what she found and wanted to get rid her?" Blake asked.

"Maybe, she used what she found to turn herself into a vampire, then went to Mistral seeking help and vowed to kill every vampire in Remnant."

Blake shuddered at the thought.

"Her revenge changed her appearance too." Yang said, pointing to a picture of a woman split in half, one had long blonde hair, and the other had white hair, pale skin and was covered in red veins.

"Does that happen to all vampires?" Blake asked.

Yang nodded.

"It's what happens when a vampire gives in to darker emotions." Yang explained.

Blake tilted her head.

"What if I became a vampire?" she asked.

"Would you want to look like that?" Yang asked with a smile.

"... No."

Yang just nodded with an air of wisdom.

"Couldn't Salem have revived her family after she turned?" Blake asked.

"I guess, yeah, she could have," Yang realised "I wonder why she didn't."

Blake just shrugged and glanced back at the book, missing the pained look on Yang's face as she did.

"There were faunus who fought in the war with her," Blake said after seeing it in the book "But faunus fought with the vampires didn't they?"

Yang shook her head.

"Not until Vincent Schnee, some faununs liked vampires, but the entire race didn't side with them until Vincent started enslaving fanuns, vampires protected them, so faunus fought with them." Yang explained.

Blake hummed in understanding.

"I wonder where Ruby and Weiss are." Yang said, finishing her coffee and standing up.

"In Vale I think." Blake answered.

"We should head back." Yang said, grabbing the book.

"Yeah," Blake agreed, stopping on her way to the nearest door when her scroll went off.

"Ruby?" Blake asked softly "Hello--"

Blake was instantly cut off, a look of worry on her face.

"... We're on our way." she said, hanging up.

Yang stared at her worriedly.

"Ruby and Weiss had a run in with Torchwick in Vale." Blake explained.

Yang swore at that and ran to their dorm to drop the book off and get their weapons.

"Where in Vale did she say?" Yang asked.

"By the docks." Blake answered.

* * *

Earlier -- In Vale

"So, how do you take your coffee?" Weiss asked as they approached a cafe.

"We're not even there yet." Ruby pointed out.

"Just answer the question!" Weiss snapped in mock anger.

"Cream and five sugars!" the red head cried.

Weiss raised an eyebrow, but just shrugged and held the door open for her partner, the warm smell of coffee drifting out.

"What about you?" Ruby asked.

"Hm?"

"How do you take yours?" Ruby added.

"Cream, no sugar." Weiss answered.

Ruby turned to the queue with that.

"Find a table!" Ruby ordered, leaving no room for argument.

Weiss was grateful there weren't many people as she quickly picked a table, her cheeks pink.

"Here you go!" Ruby announced, placing the cup of coffee in front of her.

"Thank you." Weiss said, taking a sip.

Ruby just beamed at her.

"What?" Weiss asked suspiciously.

"You're a lot nicer than I thought." Ruby admitted.

Weiss blinked in surprise.

"E-Excuse me?"

"When I heard about a Schnee attending Beacon, I thought they'd be really horrible, but you're super nice." Ruby said with a smile.

"Well, I'm glad I don't live up to what you expected of me, although apart from my sister, the rest of our family cannot say the same." Weiss said sadly.

Ruby frowned.

"I loved my family, and we all got along." Ruby said softly.

"'Loved'?" Weiss repeated curiously.

Ruby nodded.

"Yang and I aren't sisters remember?" Ruby reminded her, "Our parents were murdered by a Schnee, which is why I thought you'd be horrible." Ruby confessed.

"Why do you refer to each other as sisters if you aren't?" Weiss asked, admittedly more focused on that than the knowledge of her family killing Ruby and Yang's.

"Preference."

Weiss hummed in understanding.

"It does explain why you don't look alike." Weiss said.

Ruby finished her coffee and stood up.

"We should get back," Ruby suggested, turning to the door.

"Wait a second!" Weiss cried, quickly drinking the rest of her coffee and running to catch up.

Ruby looked over her shoulder curiously, Weiss crying out in surprise and fear when a man entering lifted his cane and sent Ruby flying across the cafe.

"Ruby!" Weiss cried, running towards her "Are you okay?"

Ruby grunted, pushing herself up from the remains of a broken table, there was blood running down the side of her face.

"I'll be okay." Ruby answered, sounding more angry than hurt.

"Well, if it isn't a pair of school kids, shouldn't you be in class?" the man asked mockingly.

"Roman Torchwick." Ruby muttered, as she stood up with Weiss' help.

"Torchwick? The criminal?" Weiss asked, turning to the man.

"The one and only." he answered, giving them a mocking bow.

The girls glanced at each other, Weiss looking hesitant, while Ruby looked determined.

"Ruby, we haven't been trained for this, and besides our weapons are at Beacon." Weiss pointed out.

"Weiss, we don't need training to beat up a criminal." Ruby said, eyeing the man.

"Shouldn't we call the police at least?" Weiss asked helplessly.

Ruby nodded.

"You call them, I'll distract him." Ruby whispered.

Weiss nodded and turned to go help the scared people in the cafe with them.

"So, just you then little red?" Torchwick asked.

"What? Did you want to fight Weiss?" Ruby asked.

"I'm not here for a fight." Torchwick said.

Ruby raised an eyebrow.

"What do you want then?" Ruby asked.

"I was sent to find someone, but I guess she isn't here." Torchwick said, glancing around.

Ruby moved into a fighting stance and clenched her fists.

"I don't have time to fight a child, so run along." Torchwick ordered.

"I'm not a child." Ruby hissed, running at him.

Torchwick smirked, lifting his cane, only to get it roughly shoved aside and find himself on the floor with a sore jaw.

"Good punch." he muttered, rubbing his bruised face.

Ruby nodded her thanks, waiting for him to get up.

"So tell me, if you're not a child, what are you?" Torchwick asked.

Ruby shrugged.

"Just a normal girl." she answered.

"I disagree with a punch like that." Torchwick muttered "They were right about you."

Ruby raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Who's 'they'?" Ruby asked.

"My bosses, they said I'd find a vampire in this town, and I guess they were right."

Ruby felt blood drain from her face and quickly turned to where Weiss was, breathing a sigh of relief when she realised the heiress hadn't heard.

"Oh don't worry red, I won't tell your girlfriend." Torchwick reassured mockingly.

"She's not my girlfriend." Ruby snapped, raising her fists.

Torchwick hummed in agreement.

"Your next victim then, I heard they always taste better when you get to know them." Torchwick said.

Ruby sweat dropped.

"That's for demons." she deadpanned.

"You aren't denying it." Torchwick pointed out.

Ruby smiled, red eyes shining menacingly.

"Who else knows?" Ruby asked in a sickly sweet voice.

Torchwick felt a chill, but shook it off and grinned.

"Just everyone in the White Fang." he answered.


	6. Chapter 6

Ruby had lived for a very long time, and seen many things, some of which would traumitize even the toughest people.

Yet how she ended up at the docks, the air stinking of fish and scared beyond belief of her partner of all people, who had a deep cut on her cheek given to her by Torchwick, she had already called Yang and Blake and was trying to tend to Weiss without letting the sweet smell of blood get to her head.

"Ruby, I can do to myself, go take care of Torchwick before he gets away." Weiss ordered, batting her persistent hands away.

"But Weiss--" Ruby cried.

"Ruby." Weiss snapped in a tone leaving no room for argument.

Ruby just nodded and stood up.

"You look good with scars." Ruby said with a wink that reminded Weiss of Yang.

Weiss' cheeks warmed, she huffed and turned away.

"Thanks." she muttered.

Ruby giggled and ran toward the criminal, weapon in hand.

Weiss blinked, not remembering Ruby having it before but shrugged it off and pressed her handkerchief to her cheek.

"Weiss!" Yang called, startling the heiress.

She turned to see Blake and Yang approaching, both looking worried.

"Where's Ruby?" Blake asked.

Weiss pointed to where her partner was on the other side of the docks.

"We had a run in with him as we were leaving the cafe." Weiss explained.

"I'll go help her, take care of Weiss, Blake." Yang ordered.

Blake nodded and crouched down next to Weiss, pouring her aura into the cut.

"Why didn't you heal it?" Blake asked.

"I must have forgot, Ruby was fussing over me until just before you arrived." Weiss said.

Blake smiled and glanced over at their respective partners.

"But then why did Ruby mention...?" Weiss murmured, thinking back to when Ruby mentioned Vincent, a distant relative who possessed the same greed as her father.

Blake's brow creased as she remembered Yang's book.

"There's something off about them." Blake said quietly.

"Off?" Weiss asked.

"Like Yang's book." Blake said.

"What about it?" Weiss asked.

"It's full of old drawings, and it's written in the Vampire language." Blake explained.

"You two were reading about Vampires earlier, it could be just an interest." Weiss suggested, although she saw where Blake was coming from.

"Maybe." Blake murmured, watching the sisters fight.

"What's actually in that book Blake?" Weiss asked softly.

"Historical people; the founders of Menagerie, all the old counsel members, even heroes who fought in wars." Blake answered.

Weiss blinked in confusion.

"Why would she draw things like that?" Weiss wondered.

Blake shrugged, Weiss only just noticing how tense she was.

"Look Blake, why don't you just ask if you're worried?" Weiss asked.

"Ask what?" Yang asked, suddenly standing next to them.

"Yang! Stop sneaking up on people!" Ruby ordered as she approached.

"Sorry sis." Yang said.

Blake shot Weiss a look who gave her a small nod.

"Ruby, how about another coffee?" Weiss suggested, grabbing her arm and dragging her off.

"Huh? But Weiss, I'm hungry!" Ruby whined.

"Then how about dinner instead?" Weiss suggested, their voices growing harder to hear the further they got.

"Well, that's a thing." Yang said casually.

Blake shot Yang a confused look.

"So, what were you guys chatting about, seemed deep." Yang asked, folding her arms behind her back.

"Weiss wanted to know what was in your book." Blake answered.

"What did you tell her?" Yang asked.

"Historical people." Blake said, turning to walk back to Beacon.

"'Historical people'?" Yang repeated.

Blake nodded.

"Are you coming?" Blake called over her shoulder.

Yang ran to catch up.

"Why did you have a picture of Salem?" Blake couldn't help asking as they stepped off the airship and made their way towards the dorm.

"I guess it just interests me." Yang shrugged.

"Why?"

"Hm?"

"Why are you interested in such a person?" Blake asked.

"Why not? She's a legend, besides she didn't deserve what happened to her, so maybe I..." Yang's gaze drifted.

"What? Maybe you what?" Blake prodded.

"I understand." Yang answered, gaze distant and guarded.

"You...?" Blake stared at her in confusion.

Yang smiled mysteriously at her.

"I'll tell you later." Yang said, running on ahead.

"You understand... What happened to you Yang?" Blake breathed, worry filled eyes watching her go.

* * *

Over the next few days Blake observed the blonde, keeping an eye on everything she did, she knew there was something she was meant to be looking for, but she didn't know what yet.

"Blake, the stalking is getting a little weird." Weiss admitted one day while Ruby and Yang were out getting dinner.

"So?" Blake asked coldly.

"So think up something else, your plan is clearly not working." Weiss pointed out.

Blake shut her book and put it on the bed next to her.

"Then what should I do?" Blake asked expectantly.

"What about that purple handkerchief she wears on her leg?" Weiss asked after a moment of silence.

"She said it was her dad's." Blake answered, remembering having asked after Yang lent her the book.

"So it's just a handkerchief that belonged to her father." Weiss said, clearly not convinced.

Blake didn't say anything to that, instead going to one of the dressers and pulling the purple cloth out.

"It has an emblem on it." Blake said, staring at it in surprise and slight suspicion.

"What kind?" Weiss asked.

"A... heart?" Blake asked more than answered.

It was two halves of a fancy red heart, that happened to look familiar.

"Isn't that--" Weiss began hesitantly only to cut herself off when the door flew open and Ruby bounded in.

"Hey guys." she greeted.

Blake and Weiss glanced at each other, both sighing in relief.

Blake discreetly stuffed the cloth into her pocket and turned back to her bed with intentions to finish her book.

Yang came back half an hour after Ruby and started drawing in her book, something that drew Blake's attention.

"What are you drawing?" Blake asked as she walked over.

"Nothing interesting." Yang dismissed.

Then, before Yang could stop her, or do anything, Blake snatched the book, then blinked at the strange, obviously not finished drawing.

"What...?"

Yang rolled her eyes and took it back.

"I wasn't finished," Yang said, adding a few more details, revealing it to be a gravestone tucked under a fruit tree.

Blake raised an eyebrow curiously, not wanting to ask aloud in case Yang didn't want to talk about it.

Yang bit her lip nervously.

"It's... my mom's grave." she mumbled.

Blake's face fell, she took the book and turned to a different page.

"Was this her?" she asked softly.

The drawing was of a young woman with long hair that looked like bird feathers, and wearing armour over some kind of dress.

Yang nodded and turned to another page.

"That's my dad." she said tapping the page lightly.

"He has a handkerchief like yours." Blake said with a warm smile, ignoring Weiss' pointed look.

"Yep, his was orange though." Yang said.

"Yang..." Ruby said in a warning tone.

"Sorry Rubes," Yang said.

Ruby looked up from what she was doing.

"You almost did it again." Ruby said.

Weiss and Blake glanced at each other.

"Did what again?" Weiss asked.

Yang stood up, dropped her book into Blake's lap, and left the dorm.

"Ruby?" Blake asked softly.

Ruby just ignored her curious teammates.

Blake frowned and stood up, Yang's book in hand, she ran after her partner.

"Yang!" she called once she caught up.

Yang glanced over at Blake.

"Hey Blake, what's up?" Yang asked.

"I'm sorry," Blake said suddenly.

Yang raised an eyebrow.

"What for?"

"I don't know, but I feel like I did something wrong." Blake admitted.

Yang motioned to the bench next to her and Blake sat down.

"You didn't, I just get emotional when I talk about my parents." Yang explained.

"Weiss told me something Ruby said," Blake began "She said you two aren't sisters."

Yang nodded.

"We treat each other like sisters, but we're actually cousins, Ruby's dad and my mom were twins." Yang said.

"It seems like Ruby's the older one sometimes, with how she acts." Blake joked.

Yang just stayed silent.

"Blake, you remember when we told you about our animal sides?" Yang asked.

Blake nodded hesitantly.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Yang asked, looking pointedly at her bow.

"H-How do you...?" Blake clamped a hand over her bow, and in turn her ears protectively.

"Birds can sense cats." Yang joked.

Blake bit her lip.

"Will you show me...? If I show you?" Blake asked hesitantly.

"Sure Blake," Yang answered softly.

Blake smiled at Yang and carefully pulled her bow off, revealing her fluffy cat ears.

"Whoa..." Yang breathed in awe.

Blake blushed, ducking her head in embarrassment.

"Your turn." she muttered.

Yang nodded and stood up and, then her arms out like she was going to curtsy, her body began to glow, after a moment Blake realised it was fire.

Blake's mouth fell open as Yang was swallowed up by flames and turned into a large bird with blood red eyes.

The bird flew high into the air and let out a loud screech.

Blake just smiled up at the fiery bird that was her partner, tears of amazement and child-like wonder running down her cheek.


	7. Chapter 7

Weiss watched the two leave silently, before listening to Ruby as she got started on her homework.

"Ruby?" Weiss asked.

"Hm?"

"You once said you could turn into a wolf, could you... show me?" Weiss asked hesitantly.

Ruby didn't say anything, and for a moment Weiss thought Ruby had refused, until something soft and warm nudged her.

The heiress turned and was shocked to see a silver wolf with red eyes staring up at her.

Weiss jumped back, almost knocking her chair over, but the wolf quickly caught it and nudged it back into place.

"R-Ruby...?" Weiss asked nervously.

The wolf, Ruby, stepped forward and nudged her hand again, like a cat asking for attention.

Weiss stared at her curiously for a moment, then smiled warmly and scratched her partner's silky, shiny fur.

After a while, Ruby turned back and flopped down onto Weiss' bed, letting out a content sigh.

"How do you do that?" Weiss asked, sitting on the bed next to her.

Ruby's eyes opened, and Weiss realised that her fur was the same colour as her eyes.

"Did you hear what Yang said before, about our parents?" Ruby asked.

Weiss nodded.

"They were raised in a bandit tribe in Mistral," Ruby explained.

"Bandits?" Weiss asked in surprise.

Ruby nodded with a smile.

"They were going to be the new leaders, but after learning how to gain a spirit animal they didn't want to, and left to train at Beacon." Ruby explained.

"Spirit animals..." Weiss murmured.

"They taught us when we were old enough," Ruby continued.

Weiss smiled at her, imagining a younger Ruby turning into a smaller wolf.

"I'd like to turn into a fox." Weiss admitted.

Ruby blinked.

"I thought you'd choose a bird, like Yang." Ruby admitted.

"No, foxes are nimble and beautiful." Weiss said softly.

Ruby smiled back.

"What do you think Blake would choose?" Weiss asked.

Ruby stared at her in confusion.

"What she already is I guess." Ruby answered.

"'Already is?'" Weiss repeated in equal confusion.

"Blake's a cat Faunus, I thought you knew." Ruby said.

Weiss shook her head with an annoyed look.

"Does everyone know?" Weiss asked.

"Yang saw her ears, and I always thought her bow looked like cat ears." Ruby admitted.

Weiss relaxed at that, realising it was just how things ended up and not that everyone knew and didn't tell her.

"How did Yang manage that?" Weiss asked.

"Blake fell asleep with her bow on, and it almost fell off, Yang saw her ears when she was helping her fix it." Ruby explained.

Weiss nodded in understanding.

"And a black bow just looks like cat ears to you?" Weiss asked incredulously.

Ruby nodded.

"I grew up surrounded by Faunus." Ruby said.

"But you were raised in Vale." Weiss pointed out.

"Yep, I'm from a place that used to have a lot of Faunus," Ruby explained.

Weiss' brow creased.

"But, don't you--"

"We're home!" Yang announced, cutting Weiss off as she entered the dorm with Blake close behind.

"Home?" Weiss asked.

Yang nodded with a grin.

"We'll be living here the next four years, might as well call it something." Yang explained with a grin.

Blake just smiled at Yang.

"Did something happen?" Ruby asked.

"You could say that," Blake answered.

"Oh my God! What happened?" Ruby cried excitedly.

"Yang asked me out." Blake mumbled.

Ruby blinked, as though processing it, before her face lit up.

"Really?!" she squealed.

"Yep, and she agreed." Yang said, grinning.

"You did?" Weiss asked, staring at the Faunus in surprise.

Blake nodded, cheeks bright red.

"Aw..." Ruby cooed, poking her cheek which caused her bow to twitch "That's cute." she said, referring to her twitching bow.

Blake huffed and stood up.

"I'm going to the library!" she said, before literally disappearing in a purple blur.

"Ruby!" Weiss snapped angrily, the two failing to notice Yang chasing after her partner.

* * *

When Yang arrived at the library, she found Blake sitting at a table reading a Vampire book.

"Hey Blake, are you okay?" she asked.

Blake hummed absently.

"What are you reading?" Yang asked, rubbing her arm nervously.

"Yang, you and Ruby can both turn into animals, right?" Blake began.

Yang nodded.

"But only Vampires can possess such an ability." Blake said.

"Maybe humans figured out how over the years, like Salem." Yang offered, starting to go pale.

Blake stared at her suspiciously.

"Perhaps." she muttered.

"Look, you're probably just thinking too deep into it, my parents were friends with Vampires, maybe they just figured out how." Yang suggested, ignoring the fact that if she was as old as she claimed, vampires wouldn't have been alive to know her parents.

Blake just frowned.

"Blake, you don't think me and Ruby are Vampires do you?" Yang asked.

"Are you?" Blake asked quietly.

Yang heaved a sigh and turned away.

"I gotta go." she muttered, walking away while ignoring Blake calling out to her.

* * *

As Blake lay in bed that night, she realised Yang hadn't denied the accusation.

Blake turned her head, and only just realised Ruby and Yang were gone, the door quietly creaking as they shut it behind them.

Blake was up in an instant, grabbing her jacket and boots, and following at a safe distance.

After a while, Blake noticed the sisters splitting up, and after each going in a different direction, they seemingly vanished.

Blake felt a sudden chill that she knew wasn't just caused by the night air.

Blake started walking in the direction she'd seen Yang go in, rubbing her arms despite the thick jacket.

For a moment, she thought she heard something, her ears twitching beneath her bow, and as she passed an alleyway, she was sure she heard a muffled scream.

Blake pulled her weapon out from where she'd hidden it in her coat, and held it out ready.

Blake stepped around the corner, and instantly put her sword away when she saw Yang, covered in blood and holding a deathly pale man up, looking like he had been drained of all his blood.

When Blake looked at the ground, noticing dark splotches on the floor, as well as all over Yang, everything made sense.

"Y-You are a Vampire..." she breathed.

Yang turned and smiled sadly.

"Hey Blake," she said softly, the body slid from her arms to the ground, revealing her jacket to be completely red with the man's blood.

Blake stumbled back a step, eyes wide with fear.

"I thought you were--" Blake slumped to the ground, and felt Yang's arms wrap around her.

"I'll explain when you wake up." Yang whispered.

Blake nodded just before passing out against Yang.


	8. Chapter 8

When Blake woke up the next morning to a worried Weiss and hazy memories of an alleyway in the dead of night, she knew something was wrong.

Especially since Weiss said she hadn't seen the sisters all morning.

After breakfast, Blake went to the library, sending Yang a message to meet on the way.

Blake sat in the library, reading a book while she waited for Yang, it had already been an hour and not so much as a message back, just as Blake was considering looking for the blonde, something that hadn't been that hard last time, she noticed a red dot flicker to life on the page in front of her.

Blake blinked and glanced around, then went to poke it, only for it to move.

Blake heaved a sigh and started following it, her book left on the table as the red spot led her behind a bookcase where Yang stood, laser in hand and wearing a nervous smile.

Blake frowned at her.

"What took so long?" she demanded.

Yang glanced toward the librarian, who shot them a glare and hushed them.

"I'll explain on the way." Yang said, grabbing her arm and leading her out of the library.

Blake blinked when she realised Yang's gloves were covered in dried blood.

"Do you...?" Blake began, cutting herself off when Yang pushed her into an empty classroom and locked the door.

"You're not going to kill me now are you?" Blake asked jokingly.

"Why would I do that? Faunus blood tastes horrible." Yang answered, climbing onto the teachers desk and sitting cross legged.

"... Because I know about you?" Blake said, figuring it would have been obvious.

"Nah, we don't kill people just for knowing we're Vampires, unless you're going to try to kill me now." Yang said, tilting her head questioningly.

Blake blinked.

"Vampire hunters still exist?" Blake asked.

"Yep, so what did you want?"

"You told me you would explain." Blake answered.

Yang hummed and nodded.

"First though, what were you doing out there?" Yang asked.

"I wanted to know what you were hiding," Blake admitted.

"You could've just asked." Yang pointed out.

"Would you have told me?" Blake asked with a raised eyebrow.

Yang opened her mouth, only to hesitate.

"Look Blake, I've been through this situation before, having friends learn what I am." Yang explained.

"What happened to them?" Blake asked, sensing a catch somewhere.

"They attacked me, turned me in, some even killed themselves," Yang answered a little too casually for Blake's liking, causing her to shudder.

"There was one girl who didn't do anything though, we... went to school together when I was still human." Yang explained.

Blake tilted her head curiously.

"She was a cat Faunus like you, and she was super supportive when I became a Vampire and she found out." Yang explained, expression softening at the memory.

Blake smiled at her.

"She got married to a human from school and had children, but after her second child was born she died." Yang said sadly.

"How did she die?" Blake asked softly.

"Murdered." Yang answered stoically.

Blake frowned in confusion.

"I was... out, like last night, and she saw me 'attack someone', so she tried to save them, and I..." Yang trailed off, purple eyes filled with unshed tears.

"You killed her..." Blake breathed.

Yang jumped off the desk, then picked up the chalk and started drawing something.

Blake watched curiously as long, curved lines turned into a vaguely familiar picture.

"Branwen..." Blake breathed as she stared at the emblem of a bird's wing with a cog.

"Mom," Yang corrected, causing Blake's eyes to widen "And Ruby's dad too."

"Didn't they die during the Great War?" Blake asked hesitantly, suddenly wondering how old the sisters were.

"Yep, Ruby and me were out, looking for stray humans to feed on, by the time we got back the hunters had been and our living room was covered in blood." Yang explained, even being a vampire at the time, she was still sick to her stomach at the sight of all that blood.

The chalk in her hand was moving again, forming triangles next to each other in a messy circles.

"I freaked out, and Ruby was crying, we were going to leave to find help, but then Ruby noticed something, and we decided to stay," Yang paused and stepped back "We knew it had been left by their murderer, so we decided to hunt them down and kill them."

The second drawing was just as familiar to Blake than the first, if not more so; a snowflake.

"When we were asked to come to Beacon, neither of us wanted to, but then I found out that a Schnee was going, and Ruby agreed on the spot."

Blake shuddered.

"You were going to kill Weiss?" Blake asked.

Yang nodded.

"Didn't expect her to be so nice though." Yang admitted.

Blake's brow creased.

"We wanted revenge, but it took until we had the chance to realise we'd obtained it when Vincent died." Yang explained, causing Blake to relax "Also, between us, Ruby's in love with Weiss."

"Ruby knew Weiss wasn't like him anyway." Yang added.

"And you?" Blake asked.

Yang's eyes flashed red and her expression became murderous.

"I'll never forgive him," she spat.

Blake felt a sudden need to get far away from Yang, but relaxed when Yang saw the fear in her eyes.

"Look, whatever was wrong with him got passed down through his family, Weiss and Nicholas were the only exceptions." Yang explained.

"So, Jacques...?" Blake began.

Yang nodded.

"Perfect match," she said sarcastically "Nicholas was a nice man, all he wanted was for everyone to get along, and his daughter was the same until Jacques tricked her into marrying him, even their kids are the same, Whitley is as selfish as you'll get and Winter ran away as soon as she was old enough."

Blake bit her lip as her thoughts drifting to Weiss' left eye.

"Did he do that to Weiss?" Blake murmured, waving a hand in front of her eye.

"Yep, I bet he wanted her to be the perfect little puppet, and when she started fighting back he stabbed her." Yang explained.

"That's just..." Blake trailed off, not even knowing what to say.

"Messed up." Yang finished for her.

Blake nodded.

"What were you like when you were human?" Blake asked, change the subject to something she'd been curious about.

"Well," Yang began, rubbing the pictures off the board and sitting back down "I loved sweets, was the most popular kid at school, and..." Yang trailed off thoughtfully.

"And?" Blake prodded curiously.

"I was protective, and people who didn't like me took advantage of that." Yang explained.

"You mean of Ruby?" Blake asked.

Yang nodded.

"That's actually how we became Vampires." Yang stated.

Blake tilted her head curiously.

"Our parents got into a fight, as they often did, at the time me and Ruby didn't understand why, but it was to do with who goes out and who stays to take care of us." Yang began.

Blake smiled in amusement.

"We snuck out during their argument, since we wanted to play and were tired of all the shouting," Yang leaned back on her arms, causing her jacket to ride up revealing a scar that ran in a messy line along her hip.

Blake wondered how she hadn't noticed it until now.

"While we were in the forest, we ran into some hunters, they knew who we were so they tried to kill us," Yang continued.

"Why though? You were just human children." Blake asked.

"They thought we were Vampires since our parents were," Yang explained.

"I tried to fend them off with my Semblance, while Ruby used hers to get help."

"What were your Semblances?" Blake asked.

"Ruby had a kind of super speed that shed rose petals everywhere she went, and I could absorb attacks and throw them right back." Yang answered "Anyway, by the time Ruby came back, I was bleeding out, Ruby was worried I was going to die so my mom turned us while everyone else went after the hunters." Yang finished.

"Is that what that is?" Blake asked, pointing to Yang's scar on her hip.

Yang nodded and took her jacket off, revealing the scar to be much bigger than it took, covering almost her entire right side.

"When someone's turned into a vampire, none of their scars heal." Yang explained.

"Because vampires don't have aura, right?" Blake guessed.

Yang nodded.

"We aren't alive Blake, only to living can have aura." Yang explained.

Blake bit her lip and pulled her vest up to reveal a 'x' shaped scar.

"That wouldn't heal, and neither would Weiss' eye," Yang explained.

Blake heaved a sigh.

"We should go back, its almost lunch time." she said.

Yang nodded with a smile.

As they made their way to the door, Blake had one last question.

"Yang, how old are you?" Blake asked.

"Almost three hundred."


	9. Chapter 9

Weiss sat in class looking bored stiff, her cheek buried in her hand as she sat in a very unlady-like position staring at her scroll, she had it on screen saver and was staring at the time, which read 3:59.

Only seconds left until class ended, and yet, each second felt like a lifetime to Weiss.

Weiss usually enjoyed going to class, even being referred to as the nerd in their team, but after Ruby had announced last night that they would be going shopping after class, something Weiss enjoyed even more than school, she'd spent every class staring at the clock, waiting for the bell that signalled the end of class.

Someone from another team, a blonde scraggly boy had moved next to her and kept asking if she wanted to hang out, which was ignored until he asked if she was even listening.

"No, and I've already got plans with my team." she answered as she walked away.

Yang ruffled his hair as everyone else walked past, saying something about 'one day'.

Weiss scowled, only to realise that Yang meant with some other unlucky girl.

"I thought that class would never end." Blake complained as they got ready.

"But it did!" Ruby cheered.

"Yes, so when are we leaving, oh great leader?" Weiss asked, drawing amused looks at her sarcasm.

"As soon as we're all ready, dear partner." Ruby returned with a grin.

"Let's hurry then, we haven't done anything like this yet, and Weiss looks like she'll murder someone if we don't go in the next..." Yang paused to glance at her "Minute."

Blake chuckled.

"Well, I like the idea of shopping with friends." Weiss admitted, folding her arms and huffing in mock annoyance.

Ruby smiled at her.

"Me too," she agreed.

"So let's go then." Blake said, jogging up to where Yang was a little way ahead.

Ruby and Weiss smiled at each other and ran to catch up.

"This is gonna be the best night ever!" Yang cheered, the rest of the team agreeing.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the team were standing in the entrance to the biggest fashion shop they could find.

"Okay, one rule guys!" Ruby announced, turning to her team before they went off to look at all the clothes.

"Yes?" Weiss asked impatiently.

Ruby grinned.

"Everyone has to pick a new outfit." Ruby ordered.

"New outfit huh?" Yang asked, picking at her jacket and smiling "Okay,"

Blake and Weiss nodded, the latter slightly suspicious, but didn't question it.

"Come on Blakey! I'll help you find something." Yang offered even as she dragged the Faunus away.

After watching them go, Ruby and Weiss glanced at each other.

"Do you any need help?" Weiss asked.

Ruby smiled and shook her head.

"We can look together though if you want." Ruby offered.

Weiss nodded in agreement, their taste in clothes were similar anyway, so why not?

* * *

Blake watched stiffly with a small smile as Yang rifled through shelves and rails, trying to find something she thought would suit Blake.

"What about--" Blake began, only to get cut off by Yang lifting a gloved finger "-- I look for something for you?"

Yang glanced over her shoulder, eyes having turned red from sheer determination, something that just amused Blake.

"Nope, besides I've already found you something." Yang said, holding up a dark purple jacket.

Blake blinked and took it, slipping it on over her vest and smiling at how comfortable it was.

Yang grinned and turned back to the rail.

"Yang?" Blake asked.

"Hm?"

"Do you... need a new pair of gloves?" Blake asked hesitantly.

Yang shook her head.

"I've got tons back at Patch, I was gonna go get a new pair tomorrow actually." Yang admitted.

Blake tilted her head curiously, trying to imagine what a centuries old Vampire's home would look like.

"You can come if you want." Yang offered.

"What's your home like?" Blake asked.

Yang glanced over her shoulder and grinned.

"Small, one window, tiny kitchen, even smaller bathroom, and four matching beds." Yang answered.

"I-I meant in Patch." Blake corrected, blushing.

"It's a log cabin, has five bedrooms, massive living room and a kitchen." Yang paused to take something off the rail and examine it "And a whole forest surrounding it."

Blake's eyes widened, she thought of her family home back in Menagerie with its spacious rooms, the smell of fresh fish and plants drifting in through the large windows, and just big enough to be a palace.

"You can visit anytime after we graduate, we certainly have the room." Yang said, throwing something at Blake, which she found was a white cropped shirt.

"Anything else?" Blake asked, draping it with the jacket over her arm ready to try on.

"Getting there."

Yang started rifling again and found a pair of black trousers with a white stripe up the side and knee high boots.

"Go change," Yang ordered, handing Blake the trousers and boots.

Blake nodded.

"Then I'm picking your outfit." she said, leaving no room for argument as she went to change.

Yang smiled and glanced around, noticing Ruby and Weiss looking at the skirts and dresses.

"Yang," Blake called after a few minutes.

Yang turned and was surprised by the result, Blake looked amazing, but as she thought about it, there was something missing.

"Have you got your scarf?" Yang asked.

Blake nodded and went back into the changing room to get it, when she returned Yang tied it loosely around her neck, adding the perfect finishing touch.

Yang gave her a thumbs up.

"Looks good." she said with a grin.

"Thanks," Blake said softly, before turning to look for something for Yang.

* * *

"They look like they're having fun," Weiss said, having been watching the interaction between Blake and Yang.

Ruby looked up and her face lit up.

"Blake looks amazing!" Ruby squealed.

Weiss nodded with a smile.

"Yang has good taste." she agreed.

Ruby hummed and turned back to the shelf, she paused to glance at Weiss, then held the folded dress out to her.

"Try this on," Ruby ordered excitedly.

Weiss raised an eyebrow and shook out the material, finding it to be a sleeveless white dress with a blue sash.

Weiss nodded her approval and held it against herself.

"We should finish the outfit before you try it on." Ruby suggested, walking to the shoe section and finding a pair of blue heels with a strap at the ankle to hold the shoe on.

"I'll go try these on," Weiss said, making her way to the changing rooms.

"Oh! Wait a second Weiss!" Ruby called when she noticed the jewellery on display.

Weiss paused to glance at it, then grabbed something and went into the changing room.

Ruby watched her go curiously before running over to wait outside the curtain.

* * *

"Are you sure Blake?" Yang asked hesitantly.

The Faunus was holding out an orange shirt, brown cardigan, black trousers and brown boots, along with new gloves and an orange scarf.

"Positive Yang, you'll look great." Blake said.

Yang nodded slowly.

"Right..." she trailed off.

"You can change anything you don't like." Blake offered.

"Alright," Yang sighed.

Blake put her hands on her hips, making her look older in her new outfit.

"Can you just change the cardigan? I hate cardigans!" Yang complained.

Blake heaved a sigh and held out a hand, Yang happily handing over the cardigan and going to look for a replacement.

"Hey Ruby," Blake greeted, the red head having moved away from Weiss' stall to give her some privacy.

"Hi Blake, what's that?" she asked, referring to the cardigan Blake had tried to make Yang wear.

"It was for Yang, but she didn't want it." Blake answered.

Ruby burst out laughing at the thought of her sister in something so... un-Yang like.

"Yang hates cardigans, try a jacket." Ruby suggested.

Blake nodded and went off to do just that.

* * *

When Yang came out in the outfit Blake had chosen, she found herself liking it, it was simple yet still looked good.

"Looks good Yang," Weiss said.

Yang smiled at her.

"Thanks Weiss, you too." she said.

"Weiss! You look amazing!" Ruby exclaimed, then turned to Yang with a grinned "You too Yang!"

"Thanks Rubes."

"I found you a jacket," Blake said, approaching with an arm full of jackets.

"More like a whole rack." Weiss joked, causing Ruby to start giggling.

"Which do you think Blake?" Yang asked, looking them over.

Blake dropped them all on the floor and pulled out a bomber jacket, which Yang tried on.

"How do I look?" Yang asked, striking a pose.

"Perfect." Blake breathed.

Yang laughed nervously, her cheeks warming.

"Hey! Why don't we get dinner while we're here?" Ruby suggested.

"But you haven't got an outfit yet." Blake pointed out, staring at her outfit pointedly.

"I found something earlier." Weiss said before Ruby could run off.

She walked off and came back with a stack of clothing and boots before shoving Ruby into the changing room.

"Well, that was easy." Yang said, shooting Weiss a grin.

Weiss nodded with a smile.

"I'll go pay the bill." Weiss said casually, walking off to find the till.

When Ruby came out, she looked amazing; Her outfit consisting of a puffy white shirt under a brown tunic that doubled as a dress, brown tights and black boots, she also had her cape with a scarf that made it look more like a cloak.

"Okay, let's go!" Ruby announced.

"Good idea, I'm hungry." Yang agreed, rubbing her stomach even though Blake knew she wouldn't be eating.

"I know a good place," Weiss offered.

"Let's go then!" Ruby agreed, flying out the door while leaving a trail of rose petals.

"So fast..." Weiss murmured, watching her go.

Blake glanced at Yang, who gave her a small smile before they too left.

* * *

"So where is this place Weiss?" Ruby asked, bounding down yet still keeping pace with her partner.

"Near the docks." Weiss answered.

"That's a strange place to have it." Yang commented.

"Its a lovely place, but I think it's meant for the dock-workers." Weiss explained.

"The docks it is then!" Ruby announced.

As the girls walked through the darkening streets, street lights becoming further apart as they were replaced with the dark warehouses, Blake began to wonder both where they were, and if Weiss' bad sense of direction had gotten them lost.

"Maybe we should ask for directions?" Yang suggested.

"I was sure it was around here somewhere..." Weiss said sadly.

"Maybe we already passed it." Blake said.

"We'll find it, there's someone over there we can ask." Ruby said reassuringly, pointing to a man leaving one of the many warehouses.

As the girls approached to ask for directions, they realised he wasn't a dock worker, but rather a well known criminal; Roman Torchwick.

"Can I help you girls?" he asked, voice sickly sweet.


	10. Chapter 10

Weiss wasn't sure how they ended up in this situation, an hour ago they were picking outfits for each other, ten minutes ago looking for somewhere to have dinner, only to get lost and run into Roman Torchwick after a meeting he was having with the White Fang where he was showing off his stolen military Paladin.

Now, they were running down the highway, jumping from cars as Torchwick in his Paladin chased them, crushing cars as he did so.

"Ruby! Do you have a plan?" Weiss called over the wind in her ears, quickly using a Glyph when she missed the next car.

Ruby glanced over nervously.

"We fight it?" Ruby suggested.

"Are you crazy!?" Weiss shrieked.

Ruby didn't answer, instead continuing to stare at her.

"Alright," Weiss muttered, deciding it best not to think about the implications there "How though? People will die if we stay here."

"Then we go somewhere else." Yang said as she drove past on a yellow and black bike, Blake sitting behind her.

"Like where?" Weiss demanded.

"There's a construction site right below us," Blake said, suspiciously calm considering their situation.

"Weiss, freeze the road up ahead." Ruby ordered.

Weiss looked up and found that all the cars up ahead had fled, drivers wanting to leave the road while still alive.

"Alright, I'll meet you down there." Weiss said.

Everyone nodded, Blake and Yang getting off the bike which Yang left out of the way of the Paladin, then jumping down to the construction site below.

Weiss jumped onto the road, waiting for Torchwick to come close enough, then stabbed her sword into the ground, freezing a large amount of the road before jumping after her teammates.

The Paladin slipped and fell onto the road below, making a small crater before standing up and turning to them.

"Freezerburn!" Ruby shouted, her and Blake quickly moving out the way as Weiss froze the road again.

Yang leapt in the air and punched the ice, creating a smoke screen.

The two ran out of the way as Torchwick started blindly shooting wherever he saw movement.

"Checkmate!" Ruby shouted.

Weiss and Blake began stabbing the Paladin and dodging attacks, moving gracefully around each other as they did so.

"Ladybug!" Ruby called when the attack was over.

Ruby took Weiss' place, attacking in perfect sync with Blake.

As they fought, Ruby caught Blake's eye, who made a few hand gestures, all with her swords still in hand.

While learning the team attacks, Ruby had also taught hand signals so they could communicate in battle without the enemy hearing.

'What will we do with him after?' Blake asked.

Ruby just shrugged and moved away.

"Enabler!" Ruby ordered, looking over at her sister.

Yang ran forward, skating on the remaining ice like everyone else had been, she then leapt into Ruby's arms and was propelled upwards, onto the giant robot.

Ruby winced when she realised her mistake too late.

"Sorry Yang," Ruby mumbled, when she heard Yang's cry of pain.

"Ruby! Is Yang alright?" Blake asked, having heard Yang as well.

Ruby didn't answer, instead watching as Yang punched where she knew Torchwick was, Ruby flinched when she heard the sound of cracking bones and the smell of blood, the blood not just coming from the criminal.

Yet somehow, he was still able to manage the controls, sending the Paladin flying forward, straight into a wall.

Yang went through two walls, smacking hard into a third and being allowed to hit the ground, landing hard.

Blake saw the blood that Ruby smelt, the blonde covered in cuts and... burns?

"Yang!" Blake cried, running over while ignoring Ruby who was calling out to her.

Later on, Blake would wonder why she hadn't listened to Ruby, despite Yang bleeding out on the floor.

When she reached Yang, she dropped on the ground and touched Yang's arm in one of the few places that wasn't bleeding.

"Yang?" Blake asked softly, shaking her gently.

Yang lifted her head slightly and looked up at her; purple eyes softening despite the pain she was clearly in, only to widen in fear.

"B-Blake...!" she cried, lifting an arm, but wasn't nearly fast enough as Blake felt an unimaginable amount of pain shoot through her.

* * *

"Blake!" Ruby cried as Blake ran towards Yang.

"Ruby..." Weiss said, sounding terrified.

The red head turned and followed where Weiss was looking at the Paladin's giant hand, which appeared to be glowing, the attack directed straight at the other two team members on the ground.

Ruby began running towards the Paladin, intending to take him out before he could release the attack, only for it to be released right as the Paladin shut down, Ruby arriving too late as Torchwick died.

"Blake...!" Ruby heard Yang cry, and turned to find Yang forcing herself up and pulling the limp, bleeding Blake into her lap.

"Blake!" Ruby cried, running over, Weiss quick to follow.

"Is she...?" Weiss asked, tears running down her face as she already knew the answer.

"No," Yang said, carefully turning Blake over to reveal the small, yet heavy breaths coming from her.

"Blake?" Ruby asked hopefully.

"S-Sorry... I didn't... notice." Blake murmured tiredly.

"I'll call an ambulance!" Weiss cried, relieved to see that Blake wasn't dead.

"Don't Weiss, call Ozpin." Yang ordered.

"Ozpin? Why?" Weiss asked, scroll in hand.

"Tell him we won't be in classes for the next week," Ruby ordered.

Weiss raised an eyebrow, but did as she was told.

"Yang...?" Blake asked weakly.

Yang looked down and found Blake smiling up at her.

"Don't... look so sad... you said you... could save me?" Blake murmured, reminding her of when she had offered a while after Blake found out Yang was a vampire.

"You offered?" Ruby asked incredulously, more surprised that Yang had offered than Blake accepting.

"Are you sure Blake?" Yang asked softly, ignoring Ruby.

Blake didn't answer, instead gripping her collar, not having the strength to tug it down, but the action spoke for itself.

"What are you talking about?" Weiss asked.

"Call Ozpin Weiss, we'll explain later." Ruby ordered.

Weiss frowned in confusion, but nodded and walked away so she could talk in private.

"Have you... ever done it?" Blake asked, beginning to feel tired, which she knew was very bad.

"Nope, but you can go to sleep, I'll make sure you wake up." Yang promised, already reaching for the blood stained jacket.

Blake nodded and allowed her eyes to flutter shut, her weak breathes slowing until they stopped completely.

"Yang," Ruby said impatiently.

"I'm getting there, now shut up." Yang snapped.

Weiss turned curiously, watching in awe as Yang sank razor sharp fangs into Blake's neck.

"You're... vampires." Weiss breathed, her call to Ozpin left forgotten.


	11. Chapter 11

The group arrived in Patch an hour later, Yang carrying Blake while Ruby explained everything to Weiss.

"So, this is it." Yang announced when they arrived at the log cabin Ruby and Yang called home for the last few centuries.

"This is where you live?" Weiss asked, having admittedly been expecting something... _older._

"Yep! Home sweet home," Ruby announced, bounding toward the door, only to pause and stare at something sadly.

"Yang, uncle Tai's sunflowers." she said softly, pointing to the dead flowers sitting in beds under the windows.

Yang shrugged.

"I haven't tended to them in a while, I'll take care of it after getting Blake upstairs." Yang said.

Ruby nodded.

"Which room?" she asked.

Yang thought for a moment as she slowly walked over to the stairs.

"I'll put her in my room for now, but we can put her in my mom's room later, and maybe Weiss could go in Summer's," Yang suggested, quickly making her way upstairs before Ruby could respond.

Ruby blinked and glanced over at Weiss.

"Weiss, are you okay?" Ruby asked softly, her partner looked like she was going to collapse.

"I'm alright Ruby, but would you mind if I borrowed Summer's bed?" Weiss asked, she had no idea who Summer was, but the idea of sleep did sound appealing.

"Sure, come on." Ruby said, walking upstairs with Weiss quick to follow.

"Who are Tai and Summer?" Weiss couldn't help asking when they reached the long hall at the top.

"Tai, along with Raven are Yang's parents, while Summer and Qrow are mine." Ruby explained.

Weiss' face fell, remembering Ruby mentioning them during initiation.

"Your parents were all... murdered, here." Weiss said, voice growing quieter with each word "And by my great, great grandfather."

Ruby nodded.

"It's okay Weiss, it was a long time ago." Ruby said, stopping in front of a door.

"But you haven't moved on." Weiss stated, it was pretty obvious from how Ruby had treated her when they met.

Ruby hummed and opened the door.

"This was my parents' room, you can use any of the clothes you like, and the bathroom is just next door." Ruby said.

Weiss nodded her thanks.

"Will you be going to sleep?" Weiss asked.

Ruby shook her head.

"I don't need sleep anymore." Ruby mumbled.

Weiss blinked, deciding not to say anything as she walked over to the dresser, after looking through the clothes she decided on a set of black pyjamas with silver spots and trim.

"Could you stay with me for a while?" Weiss asked, gestering to the chair tucked in the corner.

"I'll sing to you." Ruby offered with a bright smile as she dragged the chair closer.

Weiss blushed, but she didn't turn the offer down as she got changed and slid under the blankets.

For a bed that hadn't been used in centuries it sure was warm, Weiss smiled, snuggling into the cosy bed while listening to Ruby sing in a language Weiss knew as the Vampires'.

As Ruby sang, Weiss translated the lyrics in her head until she could imagine Ruby singing in the human language, and fell asleep to a song originally so sad, and yet, Ruby made it sound so beautiful.

* * *

Yang lay Blake down on her sunshine coloured blankets, staring blankly at her blood stained clothes for a moment.

"What do I do...?" Yang wondered, eyes drifting while she thought about something her dad used to say.

"You always take the easy path straight through, but it you take a look, you'll realise there's a way around it too..."

Yang blinked and stared at Blake.

"Thanks dad." she breathed, smiling at the family picture she always kept on her bedside along with a vase of sunflowers.

* * *

A few hours later, Ruby came down to find Yang on the couch, there was a large plate of cookies on the table, Yang nibbling one while holding a mug of coffee.

"Hey Rubes, how's Weiss?" Yang asked as Ruby sat down next to her, instantly reaching for some cookies.

"Save some for Weiss, and Blake if she wakes up as fast as I did." Yang ordered.

Ruby nodded.

"You took five hours." Ruby reminded her.

"I know, mom said dad was up within two though." Yang said, smiling fondly at the memory.

Ruby shrugged and grabbed the cup of coffee that Yang had been left for her.

"Mom took three days, Raven said that's average." Ruby said while dunking a cookie.

Yang hummed and took a long sip of her coffee.

"How long has Blake been out?" Ruby asked as she reached for another cookie.

Yang blinked and glanced toward the stairs.

"Almost four hours," Yang answered distantly.

Ruby nodded.

"I'm going to call Ozpin, why don't you check in on her?" Ruby suggested, getting her scroll from her pocket.

Yang set her coffee down, shooting her a smile before practically running upstairs.

* * *

Blake wasn't sure what happened, she was fighting Torchwick had seen Yang get hurt, and had gotten hit when she went to see if the blonde was okay.

Blake should've died from that attack, but she hadn't, Yang had promised she wouldn't.

"Blake?" Yang asked softly.

Blake turned, only then realising she was in a very dark room.

"Y-Yang..." Blake tried to say, but her voice cracked and she felt like she hadn't drank anything in weeks.

"It's okay," Yang said softly, turning on a lamp somewhere in the room.

"What...?" Blake tried to ask, her voice cracking again, leading her to realise the pain wasn't from dehydration.

"... Happened?" Yang guessed.

Blake nodded.

"You got hit with fire dust, bled out, and I turned you." Yang answered bluntly.

Blake blinked in confusion and touched her throat.

Yang smiled sadly at her.

"I'll let you something to drink," Yang said, grabbing a mug from the dresser.

"D-Drink..." Blake coughed and tried again "What drink?"

"Don't think about it." Yang ordered, handing her the mug filled with a dark, thick liquid.

Blake shuddered, knowing from the red tint what it was, but shut her eyes and took a sip, then another, then went on to drain the mug.

Yang sat down next to her, taking the mug and putting it on the bedside before wrapping her arms around Blake in a hug.

"Yang...?" Blake asked softly.

"Sorry..." Yang mumbled.

Blake blinked in confusion.

"What for?" she breathed.

"You died when you only wanted to see if I was okay," Yang answered.

Blake felt something wet on her shoulder and realised Yang was crying, Blake had seen Yang cry before, and wondered how she did it without making a sound.

"Don't cry, I'm okay now," Blake reassured her, finally returning the hug.

Yang pulled back, tears staining her cheeks even as she smiled.

"Yeah you are, and you'll be okay for a very long time." Yang said, wiping her cheeks.

"How long?" Blake asked, despite already knowing the answer.

"Forever."


	12. Chapter 12

As soon as Blake was feeling better, or as better as one could expect from just dying, she decided to go out and see the rest of the house.

"Well, if it isn't sleeping broody." Weiss teased, as Blake came downstairs.

"I don't brood." Blake said.

"You did sleep a lot though," Ruby pointed out from the kitchen doorway, holding a cup of coffee.

Blake just shrugged and sat down next to Weiss.

"Where's Yang?" Blake asked when she noticed the blonde's absence.

"She's outside," Ruby answered vaguely.

Blake blinked curiously, and decided to go see what the blonde was doing.

It was sunset, as least if the still purple sky was anything to go by, something Blake found quite beautiful.

"Hey, look whose finally up!" Yang joked from behind her.

Blake turned to see Yang crouched under the window wearing gardening gloves as she replaced the dead sunflowers, dropping fresh seeds and somehow making them grow in seconds.

"I thought only witches could make plants grow faster," Blake joked "And fairies."

"You don't have to fly to grow flowers quicker." Yang said.

Blake watched as Yang pulled the dead flower up, tore the seeds out, then put them where the flower had been, she ran her fingers over the soil and the two watched as a sunflower popped out before moving to the next one.

"How do you do that?" Blake breathed.

Yang shrugged.

"Remnants of our Semblances I guess, we do lose them, but it's like they're switched for something simular, and any Vampires you're close with can use them too." Yang explained.

"But yours was strength," Blake pointed out.

"I know, but this is Ruby's," Yang said.

"Then what's yours?" Blake asked.

"Fire," Yang said, she flicked her finger and a tiny flame flickered to life above her hand "Or heat if you prefer." Yang shrugged, dismissing the candle sized flame.

"Wow..." Blake breathed.

Yang hummed and did the last flower before gathering up the old remains and taking them inside, Blake followed, curious to know what she'd do with them.

* * *

"Blake!" Weiss called.

"Yeah?" Blake answered, glancing up from where she was sitting with a cup of tea on the couch.

Weiss nodded to the open front door.

"Can we talk for a few minutes?" she asked.

Blake followed the heiress out, Weiss led her to the edge of the forest that surrounded the house, where a single tree stump sat.

Weiss sat down, while Blake leaned against a tree, watching as Weiss tried to find the words to say.

"About the fight with Torchwick," Weiss began slowly, freezing when Blake shuddered "I'm sorry." she cried.

Blake smiled and shook her head, motioning for Weiss to continue, which she did, albeit hesitantly.

"I... want to know what happened." Weiss admitted.

Blake raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean? We fought Torchwick and I got killed." Blake said, memories of the burning pain before she gave in, the look of fear on Yang's face when she realised what happened.

"That's the thing, you must have noticed it, I could feel the heat from the other side of the site." Weiss explained.

Blake bit her lip.

"I wasn't paying attention, but of course I felt it." Blake admitted, hugging her arms and shutting her eyes tightly.

Weiss stared at her for a moment in sympathy.

"Blake, you knew you were going to die." Weiss stated.

Blake nodded, wincing at how casually Weiss put it.

"And yet you just gave in, how?" Weiss asked.

"How?" Blake repeated, staring at her curiously.

"How did you just give in when you knew you would die, there was a chance Yang couldn't have saved you, Ruby said you're the first person Yang ever turned." Weiss said.

Blake heaved a sigh.

"Before coming to Beacon," Blake began "I was in the White Fang, I was their... right hand, due to lead once the current leader either died or stepped down."

Weiss' eyes widened.

"But this other boy, Adam, he wormed his way in and took my position, he somehow convinced the leader he make be a better leader than me, he was convincing, and I was forced to give up my position, Sienna died a while later in battle, and Adam became the new leader, me returning to my position as the next in line once again." Blake continued.

Weiss frowned in confusion.

"Why did you give up?" she asked.

Blake shrugged.

"He was convincing, he's five years older than me, and kept referring to me as being too young." Blake scowled at the memory.

"So what happened?" Weiss asked.

"He became a murderer, killed any humans he saw, even those willing to listen," Blake explained "He tried to kill me once, he destroyed a train, intending to bomb it, and when I refused he attacked me." Blake paused and smiled "One of your trains."

"My train?" Weiss asked.

Blake hummed.

"An SDC train full of paladins," Blake answered "I tried to escape after watching him kill one brutally," Blake shrugged helplessly "It's a robot, just a pile of metal, but he killed it more violently than any person, I escaped, but he followed and stabbed me." Blake lifted her shirt, revealing the x shaped scar "My aura healed me and I applied for Beacon, hoping to blend in while keeping tabs on him."

"And?" Weiss prodded.

"He killed Sienna, and he wanted someone else to replace him, so he tried to kill me."

"I think he's... part Vampire, like Ozpin." Blake finished hesitantly.

"How many are there?" Weiss asked in horror.

"I'm not sure," Blake admitted.

"A lot," Yang answered as she approached "They aren't considered Vampires, so we don't really count them."

Weiss stared at Yang in confusion.

"We?" she asked.

"Vampires, Ruby, me and Blake are the only real Vampires left, but before Salem was killed, she turned everyone who fought with her in the war into Vampires, or she tried."

"Because she wasn't a real Vampire." Blake said, remembering the book they had read on Salem.

Yang hummed and smiled at Blake.

"They aren't dangerous or anything, but some do let their power get to their head." Yang explained.

"So how many are there?" Weiss repeated.

"Half Vampires can't turn others, so about ten maybe?" Yang answered, tapping her chin.

"Ten? In a war?" Blake asked.

Yang hummed.

"There were more, but she only turned those who survived, two were Faunus, and all the rest were hunters." Yang said.

"Tyrian Callows, and..." Blake trailed off in thought.

"Adam Taurus." Weiss finished.

Blake paled at that.

"Yep, those two were spies, going around finding and killing, or sending locations back to Salem." Yang's face fell.

"And in the end, she won." Weiss said softly.

"She was defeated in the end, Ozpin killed her and was turned when Salem was trying to drain him." Yang explained.

"Adam is a..." Blake bit her lip and hugged her arms.

"You know him?" Weiss asked.

Blake nodded.

"He's... the leader, of the White Fang." Blake explained.

"Then he could be turning Faunus without anyone even knowing!" Weiss cried, starting to panic.

"Calm down Weiss, half Vampires can't turn others." Yang reminded her.

Weiss heaved a sigh dramatically.

"But Adam's dangerous." Blake pointed out.

Yang hummed.

"Shouldn't we go and kill him or something?" Weiss asked.

"You don't kill Vampires Weiss." Yang said, smiling at the joke that always came with such a statement.

Weiss huffed, cheeks warming in embarrassment.

"Yang! Could you make some cookies?" Ruby called.

Yang chuckled.

"Sure Rubes, come on Weiss, you could do with some cooking lessons." Yang said.

Weiss gave a huff of amusement.

"Cooking lessons from someone who doesn't eat." Weiss muttered.

Yang just shot her an amused look.

"How about you Blake?" Yang asked.

Blake shook her head.

"I'll stay out here a little longer." Blake answered.

Yang hummed.

"Just make sure you're in before sunrise," the blonde ordered.

Blake nodded and sat down on the tree stump, all the while planning exactly how she would destroy Adam.


	13. Chapter 13

Blake stood in the doorway, back pressed against the door as sun started to peak through the trees, over the past few hours she had come up with a plan to sneak out at sunrise and go to 'visit' Adam.

The only problem was travelling across Vale with the constant threat of being burnt to death by the sunlight.

Blake bit her lip as the sunlight stretched across the grass, getting closer and closer to the point where Blake wanted to open the door and come up with a different plan.

But as the sun closed in on her, it seemed to stop a few metres from her, allowing a small patch of darkness to surround her.

Blake blinked and stepped forward, the shadow following as she walked through the clearing towards the tree line.

"Blake." a familiar voice stopped her.

Blake froze, but didn't turn.

"I'm going Yang," Blake said, leaving no room for argument.

"I'm not stopping you, just promise you'll come back." Yang pleaded.

Blake looked over her shoulder to find Yang in the doorway, staring at her.

"I'll only be gone a few days," Blake stated with a hesitant smile.

Yang shook her head.

"It doesn't matter how long, just please promise me you'll return." Yang begged.

"I'll return, with one less enemy to worry about." Blake said.

Yang nodded.

"Take this then." she said, tossing something wrapped in cloth.

Blake caught it and stared at it curiously.

"It was my dad's, so take care of it," Yang ordered "Also, it means everything to me, so I'll want it back."

Blake smiled and nodded.

"I'll be home before you know it." Blake promised before disappearing into the shadows.

"You better." Yang murmured, turning back to the house.

* * *

"Ruby, may I ask you a favour?" Weiss asked.

The two were sitting on the couch having coffee with Yang's homemade cookies while watching tv.

"Sure Weiss." Ruby said, turning to her curiously.

"I... have something I'd like to do in Atlas, and I was hoping you would come with me." Weiss asked, dipping her head to hide the fear in her eyes of being turned down.

Ruby tilted her head.

"Atlas huh..." Ruby murmured, memories of a man in white with cold blue eyes coming her mind, team STRQ's murderer "What were you planning on doing?"

"Just paying my family a visit, it's been quite a while." Weiss turned to her with a look that said otherwise.

Ruby grinned.

"Sure Weiss, I'd love to meet your family." Ruby said, eyes flashing red at the thought of her long awaited revenge.

"You two going somewhere?" Yang asked, grabbing a cookie and dunking it in her coffee.

"Weiss is taking me to meet her family." Ruby answered.

Yang hummed and sat down.

"Well, have fun, Blake left this morning for a simular reason, just don't leave me alone too long." Yang said, even though she clearly didn't mind.

"Want us to get you anything?" Weiss asked.

Yang perked up at that.

"If you don't mind, some of that dust they only sell in Atlas would be great." Yang answered.

"What kind is that?" Ruby asked.

Weiss heaved a sigh.

"You mean straight from my father, right?" Weiss asked.

Yang smiled but shook her head.

"Nah, I could get that myself, I meant this new dust," Yang answered "It's... silver, I think."

"Silver? You mean Gravity dust?" Weiss asked, turning to the blonde in confusion.

"Yep," Yang popped, grinning.

"You just want gravity dust?" Weiss asked, finding it hard to believe that was all Yang wanted.

Yang hummed.

"I'll need it for something when we get back to school." Yang explained, refusing to tell them anymore on the subject.

Weiss just shrugged.

"You owe us an explanation then." Weiss ordered.

"It's not that important, but I do need it." Yang said.

Ruby stared at Yang curiously for a long moment before shrugging and standing up, pulling Weiss with her.

"Come on, Weiss, we should pack," Ruby said.

Weiss stared at the red head curiously.

"So why does she want it?" Weiss asked once they were out of the blonde's earshot.

"Yang has this weird habit where she likes collecting new, popular things and then using them for totally silly things." Ruby explained "She probably only wants it so she can prank someone at Beacon."

Weiss hummed, smiling at the thought of the centuries old Vampire doing something so childish.

"So, when's the next airship?" Ruby asked.


	14. Chapter 14

"Is this it?" Ruby asked, staring up at a enormous house with a snowflake in the centre of the driveway the size of her's and Yang's home back in Patch.

"This is it." Weiss confirmed.

Ruby stared up at the house that made Beacon look like a tool shed, her eyes turning red at the thought of the man who owned it, the ruthless murderer who killed her family with no regard for her and Yang, nor, and more importantly, how it would effect him later.

"Calm down Ruby," Weiss said softly as she knocked on the door "We'll be back in Vale soon."

"That's not the problem." Ruby muttered, but her eyes settled back to their shiny silver as she allowed her three centuries old grudge settle, for the moment anyway.

"Oh, hello Miss Schnee, and is this a friend of yours?" a short, old man stood before them, staring at them both curiously.

"Hello Klein, I won't be staying long, I just have some business with father, he should be expecting me." Weiss explained, walking past the family butler.

Klein and Ruby watched her go in silence.

"So... Who are you?" Ruby asked, turning to the old man.

* * *

Weiss walked through the long halls, heels clicking as she made her way through the huge building to where she knew her father was.

"Oh, hello sister, I wasn't aware you were visiting today." Whitley said, as he left a nearby room.

"I'm not staying long, I just have business with father." Weiss explained, refusing to let her little brother disrupt her mission.

"Well, it was nice seeing you, Winter is here as well." Whitley offered, motioning to the room he'd just come from.

"Perhaps, when I'm done talking to father." Weiss answered.

The boy hummed and walked away.

Weiss heaved a sigh when she reached her father's office, she was starting to regret this mission, she'd called her father while packing at the sisters' house back in Patch, telling him there were problems at Beacon she wanted to straighten out with him, even if it had been a lie.

Weiss knocked on the door, letting herself in when her father gave a half-hearted 'enter' from inside.

Weiss stood in the doorway for a moment, eyes growing cold as she reminded herself of her purpose for being there.

"Father."

The man glanced up at her curiously for a moment, only to drop along with his interest.

"Weiss," he greeted just as coldly "What brings you here?"

Weiss slowly approached him, only stopping when she reached his desk.

"I've been enjoying my time at Beacon," Weiss began casually "All the people are nice, and I've made plenty of friends."

Jacques nodded slowly, sensing a catch.

"A few nights ago I was out shopping with my teammates, after we decided to stay out for dinner, and instead I ended up in fighting a criminal, Roman Torchwick." Weiss continued.

"Weiss, would you get to the point? I have work to do." Jacques snapped, patience running thin.

"Very well, I found out that two, now three, of my teammates are Vampires," Weiss paused to watch the man carefully "Yang spoke of a group of half Vampires from the Great War, and how there was ten of them, I researched them, and was able to find a list of names," Weiss explained.

"Some died, while others simply wish to live out their extended lives, but it surprised me when Ruby spoke of a man named Vincent who killed her and Yang's parents, supposedly a human whose body was never found after he died."

Jacques paled.

"My theory is he was a Vampire the entire time, killing his own kind and taking on a false identity, then marrying his great granddaughter," Weiss explained, staring pointedly at her father "Ruby remembers her family's killer, and it's quite obvious, and understandable that she wants revenge." Weiss said, staring the man down "Isn't it, _Vincent Schnee?"_


	15. Chapter 15

"Weiss, what are you talking about?" Jacques demanded.

Weiss gave him a cold smile.

"Am I wrong? 'Father'?" Weiss asked.

"You think I'm a Vampire from a war that happened centuries ago, and what motive would I have to do any of the things you claim?" he asked.

"You tell me." Weiss said.

"Weiss, I wouldn't lie about such things." he said, voice softening.

Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Father." she said "I want to know why you lied, and why you killed the parents of my teammates." Weiss ordered.

Jacques sighed and moved to a small sitting area in the corner of his office, Weiss sitting in the chair opposite him stoically.

"I am your father Weiss, while also your great, great grandfather." he explained, voice becoming serious, he knew if he lied he'd only end up killed by a vengeful Vampire, which he did understand "At the time, my parents ran a different Schnee company." Jacques began.

"What does this have to do with murdering Ruby's family?" Weiss asked.

"Our company was focused on saving lives, we wanted to use Vampires to cure illnesses, they get the blood while saving someone's life in the process without turning them." Jacques explained.

"Our company grew until it was being used everywhere, anyone a Vampire couldn't save they would simply turn," Jacques paused with a small, genuine smile "I'm sure you know how the war came to be, and a similar event happened to me, Vampires were trying to save my parents, but they failed and left my parents to die." Jacques' eyes darkened.

"I asked them to turn me, telling them I wouldn't survive long alone in the world, especially during a war." Jacques explained "I killed them after, and it eventually led to the death of your friends' parents." Jacques shrugged, not really bothered about it even if he did understand.

"So, you killed Ruby and Yang's parents, simply because a Vampire was unable to save yours?" Weiss asked.

Jacques nodded.

Weiss just stared at him, not knowing what to make of that, she eventually heaved a sigh and stood up.

"I need to think, also, I'm sure Ruby would like to hear your story." Weiss said.

Jacques' eyes widened in horror.

"Weiss-!" he cried, standing up right as Weiss opened the door, and it was like releasing wild dogs on a cluster of rabbits as the red eyed girl flew forward towards her parents' murderer.


	16. Chapter 16

Blake sat in a tree in the forest surrounding the White Fang camp, she had allowed some of her shadows to hide her from view, allowing her to watch without needing to worry about being seen.

When she had first arrived, she'd overheard a few people mention that Adam was away, having gone to meet with some 'friends' in Vale, they didn't say where, not that it mattered to Blake since all she cared about was doing what he failed to do to her months ago.

Blake swung her legs, causing her shadows to ripple as they protected her from the sun's rays shining in between the trees.

She turned towards the camp and noticed a familiar brunette leaving a tent and moving towards a man she didn't recognise.

"Is he coming back?" Blake heard Ilia ask.

"Soon, just be patient Ilia." he said.

"But there's been no sign of Blake for months now, he must know something." Ilia snapped.

"Perhaps, but like I said, you need to be patient, she probably just went to visit her family." the man offered.

Blake frowned.

'No one knows?' she thought worriedly.

"Maybe, I'm sorry, I'm just worried." Ilia admitted, slumping sadly.

The man's eyes softened.

"We are all worried Ilia, she's just as must a leader to us as Adam." the man said.

Ilia nodded.

"I'm going for a walk." Ilia stated "I'll be back soon, I just need to calm down." Ilia said, turning toward the tree line where Blake was.

"Don't stay out too long, we don't know when Adam will return and we need to be ready when he does." the man explained.

"I know, I'llstay near the camp," Ilia reassured.

The man hummed and walked away.

Blake bit her lip and wondered if she should thicken her shadows so Ilia wouldn't see her, flee, or talk to her, as the brunette reached the forest though, she knew exactly what to do.

* * *

Ilia walked casually through the forest, walking deeper until she was just out of sight of the camp, but not too far, in case anyone needed her.

As she walked, she felt someone's presence, like she was being watched, she tensed slightly and glanced around, for early evening it was awfully dark, something she would've expected deeper in, but not from just a little way in.

"Is someone there?" Ilia called.

The shadows rippled and shifted, as though they had a life of their own, and slowly began to dissipate, revealing a familiar girl sitting in a tree, swinging her legs while watching her.

"B-Blake?" Ilia asked in shock.

Blake smiled at her, but didn't say anything.

"Wait, is this one of your shadows? Where's the real Blake?" Ilia demanded, as though the Blake in front of her was an imposter who had been kidnapped rather than just being a clone.

"I'm real Ilia, I can't use shadow clones anymore." Blake explained.

Ilia frowned in confusion.

"What are you talking about? You mean you can't use them anymore?" Ilia asked, slowly walking closer.

"Something like that," Blake answered vaguely.

"Be honest with me Blake, you always have before." Ilia ordered.

Blake sighed and jumped down, landing lightly in front of her.

"I'm a vampire, I... got badly injured in battle, and my partner at Beacon is a vampire, so she turned me." Blake explained.

Ilia blinked and stared at her for a long moment.

"Ilia?" Blake asked hesitantly.

Ilia shook her head and chuckled.

"My best friend's a vampire, wow..." she breathed.

"Look, I'll explain everything, I promise, but I need your help with something." Blake said with a pleaful look.

"Alright, just I've got a question first." Ilia said.

"Okay."

"When you become a vampire, your semblance changes, so what's yours now?" Ilia asked.

Blake blinked in surprise.

"I can manipulate shadows." she answered, flicking her wrist and shadows swirled around them, hiding them under the dark curtain made from the tall trees.

"Cool," Ilia said softly.

Blake hummed and jumped back up into the tree, sitting on the branch from earlier, she patted the wood next to her with an inviting smile.

Ilia accepted the invitation and sat down next to her with a stern look.

"Tell me what happened, starting from when you left." Ilia ordered.


	17. Chapter 17

"So!" Ilia began once Blake finished her recap "Adam's a vampire, who tried to kill you during your last mission together and left you for dead on a train full of broken military paladins."

Blake nodded in confirmation.

"After that you stayed on the train until your aura healed you, which must have taken hours..." Ilia trailed off sadly.

Blake bit her lip as she remembered the hours she'd been force to spend in pain until her aura had healed her.

"After that, of all things, you decided to join a hunters academy?" Ilia asked, that being the part she couldn't understand.

"I knew that if I came back Adam would've finished me off, and if I went back to Menagerie, someone would've told Adam I was still alive, I knew I was safest at Beacon." Blake explained.

"Fair enough, you could have contacted me though, you know I would've helped you." Ilia said softly.

Blake smiled at her best friend.

"I know, thank you Ilia." Blake took a deep breath and swung her legs, her shadows moving around at her command.

"So why are you here now?" Ilia asked "I mean, if you were trying to keep a low profile."

"That's a long story." Blake answered, a little too casually for Ilia's liking.

"Okay then, tell me how you became a vampire." Ilia asked.

"My team was out shopping, a few days ago I think," Blake paused to think for a moment before shrugging it off "After we were finished we decided to stay in Vale for dinner, and while we were looking for somewhere to eat we got lost and ended up finding a warehouse where the White Fang was having a meeting for new recruits, we arrived just as it finished and ran into a criminal called Roman Torchwick," Blake shot Ilia a curious glance, who nodded in recognition.

"He did this to you?" Ilia asked.

Blake gave a hesitant nod.

"We got into a big fight with him, and my partner, Yang, got hurt, when I went to check on her, I got hit by an attack meant for her," Blake cringed at the memory of her skin being burnt by the fire dust "Yang was the vampire who turned me, so it would've been okay if she was hit, more so since she can turn into a phoenix."

"I'm sorry, she can what?!" Ilia cried.

Blake blinked in confusion.

"Vampires can turn into any animal of their choosing." Blake explained as though it were common knowledge, and from their classes, in the vampire world, it was.

Ilia nodded for her to continue.

"Torchwick used a lot of fire dust, Yang had offered to turn me in the past, but I guess she wasn't expecting me to accept when I was... dying in her lap." Blake mumbled the last part.

Ilia stared at her in horror.

"Please don't tell me you let him live after that." Ilia demanded.

"I'm not sure, I was asleep for, Ruby said it was at least a few days." Blake explained as she tried to remember.

Ilia eyed the shadows as they moved around Blake as though they were alive, she reached a hand out, but her fingers passed right through them.

"Did you come to kill Adam?" Ilia asked.

"Yes." Blake answered, watching Ilia play with her shadows.

"Well, if I die while helping you," Ilia began.

Blake tilted her head curiously.

"I'll turn you if you want." Blake offered.

Ilia shook her head firmly.

"If I die, promise you won't, you survived because you wanted to, but if I die, I want to see my parents." Ilia admitted, her young age becoming more apparent as she started crying.

Blake smiled.

"Okay, but if you can help it, I'd like for you to survive this battle." Blake asked softly.

Ilia nodded.

"Okay, so have you got a plan?" Ilia asked.

"Kinda, but I heard that man say that Adam isn't here, and that no one knows when he'll be back." Blake said.

Ilia nodded.

"He's out of town visiting some 'business colleagues'." Ilia did air quotes "And they're probably just fellow vampires." Ilia shrugged.

"Do you know their names?" Blake asked.

"Not really," Ilia admitted "He didn't say where he was going either."

Blake glanced down at the shadows moving around her and smiled.

"Well, it gives us time to come up with a plan." she said, even as one began to form in her mind.

* * *

"You were gone a while." the man said to Ilia with a smile.

"I just lost track of time, is Adam back yet?" Ilia asked.

The man chuckled.

"All in good time," he said, then paused "Why do you ask?"

"No reason." Ilia shrugged with a playful smile.

He stared at her for a long moment, then turned away.

"You should find something to do then, Adam will be bust when he returns," the man said.

"I'm gonna go back to my tent." Ilia said, turning in said direction 'Weird guy.'

"Do you not like him?" Blake asked the second Ilia stepped inside.

"Not really, and how did you get in here?" she asked.

Blake flicked her wrist and the shadows moved around her.

"I cloaked myself," she answered.

Ilia hummed and sat on her bed.

"If being a vampire allows you to control shadows, what else can you do?" Ilia asked

Blake thought for a moment, then smiled.

"I can turn into a cat." she answered.

Ilia blinked.

"Show me." she asked, finding that a bit hard to believe.

Blake nodded and suddenly disappeared, a small black cat with big golden eyes sitting in her place.

Ilia scooped her up and held her out in front of her.

"That's incredible." she breathed.

The cat just stared at her and meowed.


End file.
